The Vegas Golden Knights got possibly the best available defenseman on the trade market from the Calgary Flames, but what could happen if Noah Hanifin stays long-term? Noah Hanifin [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1MTA4MjE4NjMwNzc2NTcy/usatsi_22778863_168400847_lowres.jpg] Noah Hanifin The Vegas Golden Knights made one of the big moves before the March 8 NHL trade deadline by acquiring Noah Hanifin from the Calgary Flames. Reports soon emerged suggesting the 27-year-old defenseman could be more than a playoff rental. On March 7, Ken Campbell said the Golden Knights got Hanifin for the cost of a rental but can let the blueliner experience the team's commitment toward winning a Stanley Cup before trying to re-sign him. In his “32 Thoughts” column last Thursday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-is-more-nhl-expansion-on-the-horizon/] wrote that no one would be surprised if Hanifin signed a contract extension with the Golden Knights. Earlier in the week, his colleague Luke Fox [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhls-top-12-ufas-of-2024-latest-rumours-reports/] reported “mutual interest” in keeping him in Vegas. Assuming a salary cap of $87.675 million for 2024-25, PuckPedia [https://puckpedia.com/team/vegas-golden-knights] indicates the Golden Knights have just $9.914 million in cap space. They'll garner an additional $5 million in cap flexibility if goaltender Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve. Still, that doesn't leave much wiggle room to sign Hanifin and fill out the rest of the roster. Meanwhile, Jonathan Marchessault, Anthony Mantha, Chandler Stephenson and Alec Martinez will also become eligible on July 1. Marchessault is the most notable of that group. An original “Golden Misfit,” he's been among the Golden Knights' most consistent performers. The 33-year-old winger has 44-plus points in each of his seven seasons in Vegas, including his career-best 37 goals (and counting) this season. Winning the Conn Smythe Trophy last season during the Golden Knights' Stanley Cup run raised Marchessault's profile. Completing a six-year, $30-million contract ($5-million cap hit), he'll seek a substantial raise. Re-signing Hanifin, however, could signal the departure of Marchessault. The puck-moving blueliner was close to signing an eight-year, $60-million extension ($7.5 million cap hit) last October with the Flames before those talks fell through. He'll likely seek a similar arrangement from the Golden Knights. If the Golden Knights don't re-sign Hanifin, he'll find suitors on the open market. The Tampa Bay Lightning were reportedly disappointed that they failed to land him before the recent trade deadline. The Boston native was linked to the Bruins in the rumor mill [https://thehockeynews.com/news/noah-hanifin-becomes-the-nhls-top-defenseman-in-the-trade-market] for most of this season, and the New Jersey Devils were also rumored to be interested in him.
