Here’s every NHL team’s player to watch break out this year
By Paul Grant
Calgary Flames: Noah Hanifin
OK, here’s one for you: Noah Hanifin will have a breakout season simply because he’s in a hockey market with a stronger media presence, so therefore his usual brilliance will get a larger stage to perform on, he’ll get more votes for awards, his accomplishments will be played up higher, etc.
Last year, while getting more minutes on a terrible team, Hanifin had very good numbers yet again (10 goals, 22 assists in 79 games) and surpassed Justin Faulk as the team’s top D-man. So, you can only imagine what kind of stats he’s going to accrue while getting loads of ice time and playing with the speedy and talented Flames. But even if he matches those numbers, it will be considered a breakout under the bright spotlight that is Calgary. The kid has all sorts of poise to handle the pressure — it’s hard to believe he’s only 21 — which means it’s easy to believe his best hockey is still in front of him.
The Flames essentially traded Hanifin for Dougie Hamilton, who had a better season last year (featuring a career-high 17 goals) but for some reason didn’t seem to quite jive with the operation in Calgary. Hanifin, the only All-Star representative from last season’s tepid Hurricanes, will get every chance to showcase his wares and, given his age, will get a lot more forgiveness than the 25-year-old Hamilton.