[boogerz]

According to capfriendly, there's only 27 defensemen in the league with a $7.5M AAV or higher and 13 defensemen with an $8.5M AAV or higher.

Hanifin is good, but is he as good as $8.5M defensemen like Sergachev, Heiskanen, or Hamilton? I'd argue no, but then you also see players like Seth Jones @ $9.5M or Nurse @ $9.25M who Hanifin is definitely as good or better than. Then you also see players like Toews @ $7.25M and Lindholm/Weegar/Morrissey in that $6.5M range who are on the same level as Hanifin.


Hanifin's body of work suggests that he should be in that $6.5-8M range, but if he keeps playing like he has of late, someone will overpay for him in FA and throw $8M+ at him.

Also, if the Flames give $7.5-8M to Hanifin, are they going to have to give Andersson an equivalent AAV (or more with cap inflation) to get him to stay? Then you've got two #2D that are being paid like a #1D.


The Flames are better with Hanifin on the team, but $8M or more seems too steep no matter how you look at