The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Noah Hanifin to an eight-year contract extension.

The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Noah Hanifin to an eight-year contract extension.

The Golden Knights acquired Hanifin from the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline this season. He was set to become a UFA at the end of the season but the extension prevents that.

Since coming over from the Flames, Hanifin has two goals and nine points in 16 games. His impact defensively is where his addition is felt the most. 

He's currently 27 years old, meaning the Golden Knights will be paying him until he is 35 years old. A very similar situation to Alex Pietrangelo's. 

Hanifin's AAV is $7.35M, making him the third highest-paid player on the Golden Knights behind Jack Eichel and Pietrangelo.

Hanifin was one of the eight pending UFAs the Golden Knights have. Signing all eight is impossible so picking the ones most important to the future makeup of the team is critical. 6'3, puck moving and defensively reliable defenseman are a sought-after commodity in the NHL, so locking one up long-term is a wise decision. 

The extension will keep Hanifin in Vegas until the 2031-32 season. The no-trade clause becomes a 15-team no-trade clause in the 2030-31 season. The total value of the contract is $58.8M. 

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