The Golden Knights didn't have to pay a premium for Noah Hanifin from the Flames in hopes he'll sign an extension. They'll let their play do the talking, says Ken Campbell.
When Noah Hanifin went on the trade market, he instantly shot to the top of almost every trade board.
The thinking was that a team would give up a lucrative package for him if they could sign him to a long-term contract. That obviously didn’t happen because the Vegas Golden Knights got Hanifin for the cost of a rental.
A conditional first-rounder, a conditional third-rounder and a minor leaguer looks like an underwhelming return for a defenseman who was supposedly so coveted. But that was the best deal out there for Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy, who must feel a little bit like a used car salesman these days. Everything must go!
There was no way the Knights would ever pay a premium to sign Hanifin to a long-term deal now because GM Kelly McCrimmon knows that once they get Hanifin into the fold, they’ll be able to do that later, presumably after a long playoff run. What player in his prime would not look at the set-up Vegas has and its commitment to winning the Stanley Cup every year and not want to be a part of that?
We have to assume that the Golden Knights want to sign Hanifin to a long-term deal. Knowing how the Golden Knights operate, we have to assume they’ll do just that soon. Here's more: