The Massachusetts native officially won't be going to Boston.
Since his draft year, Noah Hanifin has been on the Boston Bruins' radar. It is understandable, as he is not only an outstanding top-pairing defenseman, but he is also from Massachusetts.
When the Calgary Flames shopped Hanifin this season, the Bruins were once again among the teams in the mix. However, the Vegas Golden Knights came out of nowhere and snagged him up.
Noah HanifinWhen Hanifin got traded to the Golden Knights, it certainly stung for the Bruins. However, there was still hope that the Bruins could land him in free agency if he hit the free-agent market this offseason. Yet, that wish now can be thrown in the trash.
Hanifin, 27, has signed an eight-year contract extension with the Golden Knights worth an average annual value of $7.35 million. The star left-shot defenseman has landed his big payday, and Vegas will have him for the entirety of his prime.
This is just brutal news for a Bruins team that really needs a player like Hanifin. He was going to be their primary target of the offseason, especially with Matt Grzelcyk being a pending UFA. However, the Bruins will now need to explore other options this summer instead.
In 77 games this season, Hanifin has 13 goals, 44 points, and a plus-20 rating.