Quote:
Originally Posted by Crown Royal
I don't see how trading a 23 year old top 4 defenseman for magic beans is a win. It's far more likely that Mackey or Valimaki are tried on the right side. If we need to shed 5 million in salary you move Backlund or Giordano before Hanifin.
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I think Backlund and Gio have more value to the Flames than they would on the market. I don’t think either brings the return you might expect or get from moving Hanifin who is a quality top 4 at a reasonable cap hit with some term. There’s also that thing about ‘never go full Oilers’ having some quality home grown vets is essential, in my mind anyway. I keep Backlund and Gio unless you’re ripping it down to the studs.
I would be fine with trading Hanifin because the return is likely to bring back a player of comparable age and quality (Dumba for example), or a high value pick (prior to being dealt he was rumoured to be going to the Canucks for 7OA). As far as shedding salary, there is also value in that. At the end of the day Hanifin is far from an untouchable piece in my mind.