Frank Seravelli brought forward significant developments concerning Noah Hanifin’s status with the Calgary Flames. The star defenseman, who is soon to become an unrestricted free agent, won’t be staying with the Flames and is actively being made available for trade.

In his DFO podcast, Seravelli shared insights indicating that Hanifin has expressed a preference for joining the Tampa Bay Lightning as his next destination. This suggests that Hanifin’s camp has communicated their interest in him signing with Tampa Bay, potentially making the Lightning his favored landing spot.

“What I believe is that, if you were to put it on a map, the Hanifan camp has told the Flames that he would be interested in signing with Tampa Bay. The Lightning require defense, but I’m not sure if that’s mutual.”

While Noah Hanifin has shown interest in joining the Lightning, the likelihood of a deal before the trade deadline remains uncertain. Tampa Bay may struggle to offer assets that meet Calgary’s demands, potentially leaving Hanifin to explore free agency in the summer.

This uncertainty presents a risk for Tampa Bay, as Hanifin could develop a preference for another team if he’s traded before the March 8th deadline.

In terms of a potential trade, the Lightning’s limited assets, particularly their lack of a first-round pick until 2026, present a significant challenge. Moreover, waiting until free agency introduces financial constraints, as the Lightning must balance Hanifin’s likely higher salary demands, possibly exceeding his current $4.95 million average annual value (AAV), with their cap space, especially considering impending free agent Steven Stamkos.