Noah Hanifin's offence got off to a slow start, but after a big game against Utah HC, he believes his offence is beginning to surface for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Noah Hanifin's offence got off to a slow start, but after a big game against Utah HC, he believes his offence is beginning to surface for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hanifin tied the game with a buzzer-beater during Saturday's game against Utah. He read the play and perfectly timed his drive to the net to tap in the loose puck. The tally was his first goal of the season and was what kick-started the rest of his offence explosion.
The 27-year-old then picked up the primary assist on William Karlsson's third of the season after he showcased his skating and passing ability. Hanifin used his feet to retrieve the puck in his own end, out skate Matias Maccelli to the centre ice line before sliding a pass to Karlsson in stride.
Hanifin wasn't done there, picking up a primary assist on Brett Howden's overtime marker.
Confidence is a crucial part of any athlete's game and Hanifin is no different. The former fifth overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft mentioned how the goal helped change his mindset.
"Anytime something like that happens, you had a good balance, I think you kind of get into the flow of the game," said Hanifin. "I think for me, that's the game I've been trying to get through for a while, just getting up in the play, using my skating ability. And when I do that I can try to open up some other things for other players. We don't want to be defending too much. So just got to keep building off that game."
Hanifin's arrival in Vegas has been a positive one. He earned the trust of HC Bruce Cassidy very quickly with his ability to defend the rush and efficiently move the puck. The Golden Knights quickly offered Hanifin a contract extension with the belief that he can continue to improve and add new elements to his game. Cassidy spoke about what he's looking for from Hanifin.
"I think it was important for Hanny to find his game a bit offensively," said Cassidy. "I think that's something he counts on and expects to bring to the team, and feels like he's letting the team down if he doesn't. We know it's there, we saw it last year. Seen it in Calgary, Carolina. So it's going to come. And sure enough, you're starting to see it a little bit lately. So I think, yes, it has individually meant a lot to him. Just like a lot of our guys, when they get their first, his came a little later. But at the end of the day, we need our D to be threats offensively. So all four lines are kind of humming in that regard and I think we've seen it from Petro and Theo. Let's get Hanny in the mix. The other three guys are going to bring offense, but not at the level the other guys, at least not historically. Hopefully, they can grow that part of the game. The other guys have been around the league a little longer and they've brought that so that's what I think it means to him."
Hanifin's now up to a goal and six points in 12 games after setting a new career-high in goals last year. He's an all-around defenceman with size, skating and smarts but he can at times lack aggressiveness offensively. The more frequently he jumps into the play and the more shots he fires from the point, the more dangerous the Golden Knights are.
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