Insider Analysis: NJ Devils Land Hanifin in Proposed Trade

The trade talks are picking up steam, as we're now less than two weeks from the trade deadline, and with Noah Hanifin now seemingly fully and officially available, trade offers from a number of contenders are now making the rounds. 

For this proposal posited by the NHL Network, Hanifin would land with the New Jersey Devils in a swap that looks like this:

New Jersey Devils Receive:

• Noah Hanifin, D

Calgary Flames Receive:

• Kevin Bahl, D
• Chase Stillman, F
• 2024 1st-Round Pick
• 2025 2nd-Round Pick

The Flames would get the Devils' No. 6 prospect, a first-rouder in the 2021 Draft, Stillman, and a hulking D-man in Bahl, (6'6", 230 pounds) who was a second-round selection in 2018, in addition to another first-rounder in the upcoming June draft. The Devils, meanwhile, get the top defenseman available on the trade market. The question, of course: would he be amenable to an extension in New Jersey? 

So who says 'no' to this trade? 

According to insider Elliotte Friedman, Calgary would say 'no' right at the moment, until they find out if can they get Hanifin to agree to sign an extension with New Jersey, which would then hopefully entice the Devils to offer a better prospect. 

Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau feels this is something the Devils should jump on. "Jersey doesn't need the draft picks... I think they need something like (a player of Hanifin's caliber)."

Bahl has been with the Devils all season, registering nine points in 57 games, with a +7 rating in 17:27 of ice time. Stillman, a forward, has 14 points in 40 games this season with the Utica Comets of the AHL.

Hanifin has 30 points in 57 games with a +11 rating, playing top-pairing minutes for the Flames, logging 23:44 of ice time a night.

Photo: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports