It seems like the destination pool is getting smaller in preparation for the upcoming Calgary Flames
trade of Noah Hanifin. According to the most recent reports, Tampa Bay and Boston are the favorites.
We discussed a possible trade that would send the Boston-born defenseman back to his hometown on
Thursday, and today we’ll look at another scenario that may send Hanifin to the Lightning.
The Boston Bruins have been attempting to acquire the star blueliner for a number of years; in fact, their
attempts to draft Hanifin date back to the 2015 Draft, when they made an unsuccessful attempt to move
up from one of their three mid-first-round picks. He ultimately went to the Carolina Hurricanes at No. 5
overall.
Boston now is capable of bringing the Boston College product home once more. The Bruins may find it
challenging to match the Flames’ alleged demands of a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a roster
player, but maybe this proposed trade by The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie and Corey Pronman would help
them.
Boston Bruins Receive:
- Noah Hanifin, D
- Mason Lohrei, D
- John Beecher, C
- Jakub Lauko, LW
The easiest method for the Beantowners to make a move here is not through draft picks, as the Bruins
have neither their second-round pick in 2025 nor any of their picks in the top three rounds of this year’s
draft.
In his first full professional season, Lohrei, a left-shot defenseman and 2020 second-round pick, has
performed admirably. He has played 32 games with the Bruins, scoring 10 points and having a plus-
minus rating at the break-even threshold. Earlier in the season, he had 13 points in 17 games with a +13
rating with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.
It would be excellent for Calgary to acquire a young, promising large D-man (6’5″, 211 pounds) who can
play on the power play. Take Hanifin’s spot on the blueline.
In his 39-game trial with Boston earlier this season (7 points), Beecher, a previous first-round pick
(2019), didn’t have much scoring potential; yet, he also has plenty of size and produced 89 hits in just 10
minutes per game during that brief time. Currently, Beecher is with Providence.
In summary, however, McKenzie and Pronman question whether Flames general manager Craig Conroy
would accept any deal from Boston that did not include Matthew Poitras or Fabian Lysell in the absence
of a high draft pick. We’ll find out in time.
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