Though the Calgary Flames have seven pending unrestricted free agents, things may be looking up for defenceman Noah Hanifin.
As Elliotte Friedman reported on the "Saturday Headlines" segment on Hockey Night in Canada, the Flames and Hanifin have made recent progress in contract negotiations to keep the 25-year-old in Calgary.
"There is optimism, nothing is done until it's done," Friedman reported. "The word is that there has been progress and there is optimism something can get done between Hanifin and the Flames."
Hanifin is in his sixth year with the Flames organization after being selected in the first round, fifth overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes. He played two seasons with that organization before he was traded to Calgary with Elias Lindholm.
In 359 games with the Flames, Hanifin has 31 goals and 156 points, including eight playoff points in 27 games.
The native of Boston signed a six-year, $29.7-million contract in 2018 with an average annual value of $4.95 million.
New Flames general manager Craig Conroy had his work cut out for him coming into the position with core roster pieces — including Hanifin, Elias Lindholm and Chris Tanev — on the brink of free agency. After locking up Mikael Backlund to a six-year, $32-million contract and appointing him captain, Conroy is maxed out, with $0 in cap space available, according to CapFriendly.
