Quote:
Originally Posted by transplant99
Hanifin is criminally under rated/appreciated around here. Has been since the day the Flames acquired him.
Since he came into the league he is top 40 league wide in GP, pts, assists, etc, while playing on middling teams.
Now he is hitting his prime and so many want to run him out of town instead of making him a cog in this re-tool the club is clearly in the midst of.
Now if he is choosing to test UFA then yeah, they have to deal him. They are losing a really good player though and one that is going to be almost impossible to replace internally and will cost a bundle to replace other ways.
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I want to see him traded not because I want to run him out of town, but because he's been (almost) on record as saying he wants to play elsewhere in the US. Convincing him to stay means likely overpaying significantly to change his mind. I'm fine with him staying if the deal is fair, but it will always be on the back of my mind that staying here wasn't his first choice and it's 100% a financial incentive that made him stay. That's his right to do so, but I'd prefer players who want to stay because they genuinely WANT to be here.
I also agree that he is highly underappreciated. He will be missed and he is just entering his prime. A prime that IMO will last pretty much the entire duration of his next contract. Whomever gets him is going to get a stud with another tier to reach. Hard to give up on that, but IMO the Flames need to be dragged into a rebuild kicking and screaming. Getting a haul for Hanifin is a massive step in that direction.
I'm at peace with whatever he chooses. He stays, he goes, I'll be fine either way. Strange feeling that way, because usually I pick a side and stick with it. Hanifin has value either way. It will be interesting to see what happens.