Hanifin: 'I was never holding the Flames hostage' at deadline
Noah Hanifin refuted the narrative that he limited the Calgary Flames' trade options to places he'd consider signing long term as a pending free agent.
"I was never holding the Flames hostage," the defenseman said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "That was one of the more difficult things to hear towards the end because I personally felt I was never doing that. Talking to (Flames general manager Craig Conroy), I don't think either side felt that."
"I only had an eight-team no-trade clause, so I was never going to be able to say no," he added. "I felt I should give Calgary a list of teams I would sign with, and then it got out there I was holding the team hostage and would only sign with one team. I wasn't ever going to sign an extension just anywhere in the league. I don't think any player in the NHL would do that."
Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli suggested in late February that Hanifin's camp was using his leverage as an upcoming UFA to influence where he'd land. The Flames ended up trading Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights last Wednesday in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in 2025, as well as prospect Daniil Miromanov.
Hanifin conceded that he would've preferred a return to the East Coast, but the Boston native knew that'd further shrink the options that would work for both him and the Flames.
"It was positioned almost like I was doing it to spite Calgary, to hurt them," he said. "That was never the case. I was being honest with them.
"Calgary was going to do what was best for them, and I wanted to do what worked best for me and my family, and if that wasn't a fit, that's business."
Hanifin revealed that the Flames tried to sign him again one week before the trade and called his choice to leave Calgary "a family decision."
The 27-year-old has played two games with the Golden Knights, logging two assists while averaging 21 minutes of ice time. Hanifin will return to Calgary when Vegas takes on the Flames on Thursday.
He's not expecting an entirely warm reception from those in attendance.
"I'm sure there are certain people who were upset reading that I was screwing over the team," Hanifin said. "I never felt I was, or that it was real, but some of them may boo, like they have for other players who left town. But there are lots of others who I had relationships with who will support me."