Rookie Hanifin learning quickly on the job
The NHL draft hype last June was all about Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.
Lost in the buzz was Noah Hanifin, the first defenceman taken — at No. 5 — by the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Edmonton Oilers’ McDavid, Buffalo Sabres’ Eichel and Hanifin are the only players from that draft group to be National Hockey League regulars. Hanifin is the youngest player in the league. He doesn’t turn 19 until Jan. 25, and is 13 days younger than McDavid.
Hanifin admits to some “Golly gee, I’m out there with Sidney Crosby” moments.
“Yeah, I had a Crosby sweater on the pond a few years ago,” said Hanifin.
He played two exhibition games against Crosby. “That was weird seeing him on the ice.”
Hanifin played only one year at Boston College, then turned pro, like Eichel, who was only at Boston University as a freshman.
The difference is that Hanifin plays defence, where the learning curve is very steep. McDavid and Eichel get exposure from fans and the media; Hanifin just gets exposed by NHL players as a very young defenceman.
Heck, he’s not a full-grown man, even if he is six-foot-three and 206 pounds. He is a wonderful skater who can get himself out of jams with his feet, but he is playing a head-games position as a rookie defenceman. He’s learning on the job, sometimes getting burned, like all first-year players.
“With the calendar turning over every month, he’s taking a new step,” said Caroline coach Bill Peters. “But we like his progression.”
“He’s a really mature kid,” said Steve Smith, the former Oilers player and assistant coach, now working with Peters in Carolina. “I forget sometimes how young he is. On a daily basis, you have to show you’re a pro, and that’s what he’s done well. He’s grasping defensive concepts and all the new players he sees nightly. Now he’s running our power play.”
“Noah has had moments where he hasn’t been great, but he comes in and looks for constructive criticism from us and takes it well.”
The Hurricanes shelter him somewhat. He’s only playing 17 minutes a night, and not necessarily against the other team’s top guns.
“(It’s) a very big adjustment for me … I’m used to playing in college just two games a week. You have to learn to play when you’re tired up here. In college, you have all week to get all fired up for the weekend games. You also have more time to work out and to practice. At this level, it’s games every other night,” Hanifin said.
“I’m still being exposed to the league and what it’s all about,” said Hanifin. “I don’t know the teams or the players. Every team has their superstars but there’s lots of guys I’ve never heard of and they’re really good players.”
“I was looking forward to playing against McDavid. Too bad he’s injured. I got to know him a bit over the last few summers,” he said. “He’s a really good kid.”
Plenty of people are saying the same about Hanifin.