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While we’ve seen the Flames make one trade with a Western Conference rival, the thought of making yet another deal with one involving Hanifin seems like it would be difficult to pull the trigger on. But if they’re willing to do it, the Minnesota Wild should be eager to get involved.
The Wild have a strong setup on defense with Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber, but outside them it gets a little bit shaky. Adding Hanifin would give the Wild a top four on defense that could do it all extremely well.
For as hard of a time as the Wild have had this year, they’re also getting poor offensive production from their defense. Jake Middleton is their top scorer on the blue line with 10 points, with Brodin (9) and Faber (8) behind him. Beyond that it gets sparse. When it comes to puck possession, the Wild have been a bit below average, and Hanifin would change that in a big way by playing big minutes.
What makes this move even more difficult for Minnesota is how it’s still on the hook next season for more than $14 million in dead-cap money from the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise buyouts. It’ll be the final year the combined costs are that harsh, which would mean getting a Hanifin extension done would be really difficult for next season but a bit easier beyond that.
Of course, they’d have to find a way to make cap space, and with Alex Goligoski and Marc-André Fleury due to be free agents in the summer, that would free up some money, but the Wild would still have the rest of the roster to get figured out too.
Of course, this discussion could be dead on arrival as it is because the Wild have gotten off to such a terrible start that they might not be in any position to make a big deal like this. Then again, GM Bill Guerin doesn’t really abide by norms.
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