Central Division team reportedly interested in Flames defenceman Noah Hanifin

Calgary Flames defenceman Noah Hanifin is entering the final year of his contract and reports suggest that he's looking to return to south of the border to play for an American team.

The 26-year-old would be a solid fit for many teams across the National Hockey League, but according to Eklund of HockeyBuzz, one team that has expressed interest in him is the Nashville Predators.

Hanifin, a native of Boston, is set to enter the ninth year of his NHL career thus far, which would be his sixth with the Calgary Flames, if he's not dealt prior to the start of the regular season.

The two most productive seasons of Hanifin's career have come in the last two campaigns, putting up 48 and 38 points, respectively, which certainly helps his trade value.


Hanifin's cap hit of $4.95 million for the 2023-24 season could be fully absorbed by the Nashville Predators, if they chose to do so, given that they have just over $7.9 in available space.

Adding Hanifin to a defensive core that includes Roman Josi, Ryan McDonagh and Dante Fabbro would give the Preds a solid top-four as they look to compete for a wild card spot in the Western Conference.