The Arizona Coyotes are keen to expedite their rebuild process if recent reports are to be believed.
Sportsnet insider Elliott’s Friedman, speaking as part of the Saturday Headlines segment, mentioned that the Arizona Coyotes have taken a close look at Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin this week.
It’s no surprise that Flames players are beginning to be linked with teams around the league, with Calgary struggling through the early stage of the season with a 4-8-2 record.
Their defensive unit appears to be the one expected to be pilfered from the most, with Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov, and Chris Tanev all attracting interest from teams looking to take the next step.
That appears to now include the Coyotes, who took positive strides to improve their roster in the off-season, hoping to move a little closer to being a playoff contender.
Now that the team has settled into the season, it’s clear that more could come from the roster, with Clayton Keller continuing to impress and rookie Logan Cooley already looking comfortable in the NHL.
With strong goaltending performances helping the team to a 7-6-1 record so far, it’s clear that trading for another upgrade could even push the Coyotes towards making the playoffs this season, a year ahead of schedule.
The Coyotes have a decent defensive group and currently sport the joint-best goal differential in the Central, sitting just one point behind second place in the division.
However, while the likes of J.J. Moser, Sean Durzi, and Matthew Dumba have looked good this year, adding a genuine top-tier blueliner would elevate the group, pushing some players down to the level they should be deployed and allowing the team to ice a truly competitive roster every night, pushing them to be a genuine playoff contender.
However, to acquire Hanifin, the Coyotes have a number of things to overcome or consider before anything can even be done.
Firstly, the cost of a trade would need to be weighed against his value. Calgary may seek assets such as a first-round pick and a decent prospect. Arizona has an abundance of second-rounders, which may be more appealing to them just in case their playoff pursuit falls short in the end.
Additionally, Hanifin is in the final year of a $4.95 million deal. It seems illogical for GM Bill Armstrong to give up a first for what could be a rental unless a long-term deal could be negotiated in advance.
Along with that, Hanifin has a modified No Trade Clause with eight teams on it. The Coyotes would need to hope they are not on his list or try to persuade him that the team is ahead of projections again and would be a worthwhile destination for him to chase the post-season.
There are many things that could prevent the Coyotes from obtaining a player of Hanifin’s quality, but the early reports are at least a clear indication of intention from the team and should be viewed positively by the fanbase, even if it’s not the deal that ultimately happens.