The Calgary Flames have traded defenceman Noah Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights, Sportsnet can confirm.
The return to the Flames is not yet known.
The move takes one of the biggest names off the board ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.
Hanifin, 27, is due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and is rumoured to prefer to play in the United States. With this trade, he gets his wish, joining the defending Stanley Cup champion.
The Golden Knights add yet another piece as they hunt for back-to-back Cups after acquiring winger Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Vegas has the cap flexibility possible to make these deals as an injury to captain Mark Stone landed him on LTIR until at least the end of the regular season, freeing up his $9.5-million salary.
Until Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning were rumoured favourites to land the six-foot-three blueliner.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that there is no extension for Hanifin as an immediate part of this trade.
Hanifin set a new career high with 11 goals this season and has 35 points in 61 games. He’s now set to face his former team March 14 as the Golden Knights make the trip to the Saddledome.
It has been a busy 10 months for Flames rookie GM Craig Conroy. After sending forward Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey at the draft in June, Conroy dealt centre Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks before the All-Star break and veteran defenceman Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars last week.
Hanifin was selected fifth-overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, but was traded in 2018, along with Elias Lindholm, to the Flames in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland and then-prospect Adam Fox.
