I am OK with saying Hanifin is not a difference maker if you acknowledge that there are very few of those amongst defensemen. Especially when you consider that to mean someone who consistently makes dangerous offensive plays and has to be accounted for at all times.
But a defenseman that can reliably give you 25 minutes, play in all situations, and support both your top offensive players and your best checking line is certainly making a difference. IMO Hanifin could easily be top pairing on a Cup winning team but he definitely couldn't be that team's best player.
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