Pros and Cons of Noah Hanifin as Possible Carolina Hurricanes Draft Pick

Originally considered a near-guaranteed top-four selection, Noah Hanifin has gradually become a possibility for the Carolina Hurricanes at No. 5.

Hanifin, a 6'2" defenseman from Boston College, stands out as the consensus best player at his position in the 2015 NHL draft. He's a power-play quarterback with size, a puck-moving rearguard with god-like hockey sense.

But Mitchell Marner's ascension into top-four conversation—both the Coyotes at No. 3 and the Maple Leafs at No. 4 could give him strong consideration—could serve to bump Hanifin down into Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis' clutches.

The past year, moreover, has certainly proved that Francis plans to build a defensive identity for the 'Canes moving forward. But is Hanifin's impressive upside good enough to justify again ignoring a diverse range of elite prospect forwards?

Note: This prospect evaluation from a 'Canes perspective is the fourth in a series on potential selections. Read about the pros and cons of Marner, of Lawson Crouse and of Mikko Rantanen in previous installments.

Position	Defenseman
Age	18
Height	6'2"
Weight	205 lbs.
2014-15 Team	Boston College (NCAA)
2014-15 Stat Line	37 GP, 5G, 18A, 23P
CSS Ranking (N.A. Skaters)	3rd
ISS Ranking	5th

Pros

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Hanifin has anything and everything that NHL teams look for in defensemen: Size and a full frame, strong positioning, active stick play, awareness of both opponents and teammates around him, accurate breakout-pass ability, a booming point shot and a smooth, unflappable style that settles the play down around him.

Indeed, one is hard-pressed to find any significant weaknesses in Hanifin's entire game.

"By all accounts, Hanifin...is not a robot, but his brain processes hockey with a machine-like efficiency," writes Connor Mellas of NHL.com. "His positioning is superb, his instincts are deadly, and his offensive and defensive decision-making continues to improve and impress."

Season	Team	GP	Points
2012-13	St. Sebastian's (HS)	28	34
2013-14	U.S. National U17	45	32
	U.S. National Development Team	31	20
2014-15	Boston College (NCAA)	37	23

The Massachusetts native is labeled by all as a decidedly smart player.

His understanding of where the puck will go (when defending) or needs to go (when attacking) are special. He seems to judge the risks and benefits of the most minor pinch or check on the fly, knowing when to act conservatively and when to take a chance.

He committed just eight penalties in 37 games for B.C. this season, partially due to strong discipline and partially due to his ability to avoid situations that would force him into taking one. He also missed a mere one game to injury.

Per his Future Considerations scouting report, which abounds with praise:

"

A smart and powerful two-way force…big, but very mobile...moves well with good speed and agility…uses his strength and reach very well when he rushes the puck, and he is tough to contain when he gets going…is skilled and confident with the puck and has the ability to take it end-to-end…used his size and body well to contain players and box them out on the walls…supremely skilled quarterbacking the power play.

"

By the numbers, Hanifin had a productive freshman year for the Eagles, tallying 23 points.

He also recorded two assists in five games for the U.S.A. in the U20 World Junior Championships after accumulating five points in seven games in the U18 WJC the previous year.

Cons

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For all of Hanifin's excellence, however, he may not be the right fit for the Hurricanes specifically.

Ron Francis has bolstered the franchise's defensive prospect base tremendously in the past year by drafting Haydn Fleury at No. 7 last June, giving AHLers Michal Jordan and Danny Biega NHL stints in 2014-15 (to surprising success) and acquiring Roland McKeown from Los Angeles at the trade deadline. 

Those young blueliners, along with under-the-radar Trevor Carrick, shutdown type Brett Pesce and slow-developing former No. 12 pick Ryan Murphy, comprise a highly promising cast of future "D"-men for the 'Canes. 

Hockey's Future, however, ranks the team's overall prospect base 29th in the NHL. While this low ranking could be easily contested, the website's main justification for it—a lack of "potential top six forwards in their system"—cannot be. The team has just three good forward prospects (Brock McGinn, Sergey Tolchinsky and Lucas Wallmark) and all three are under 180 pounds.

This imbalance between the quality and depth of the Hurricanes' prospect corps on the offensive and on the defensive sides serves to further complicate Francis' thought process should Hanifin still be available at No. 5.

He could address the forward shortage with one of two powerful 6'4" wingers (Crouse and Rantanen) or one of the OHL's most prolific scorers of the past decade (Marner)...or he could draft yet another defenseman. Hanifin may be the most well-rounded and most certain future NHL star out of the bunch, but the 'Canes simply don't need him as much as the alternatives.

Final Thoughts

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In an article by Yahoo!'s Josh Cooper, an anonymous "Western Conference amateur scout" names Rob Blake as a comparable for Hanifin. It's one of very few comparables named for Hanifin around the internet, but a flattering one nevertheless: Blake was just inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.

Would the 'Canes happily select the next Rob Blake, prospect defenseman surplus or not?

Yes, absolutely. Ryan Murphy—who is basically a smaller and less reliable Hanifin—would be quickly dealt, Justin Faulk would dance a gleeful jig and the 'Canes would secure an elite first pairing for a decade to come.

Without that certainly, however, Francis will be forced to weigh positional need versus prospect skill should Hanifin fall to No. 5.

Hanifin is less of a risk than Marner, Crouse or even Rantanen, but the 'Canes may be better off taking a bigger risk elsewhere in hopes of cashing in a more desperately needed payoff.

Mark Jones has been a Carolina Hurricanes featured columnist for Bleacher Report since 2009. Visit his profile to read more or follow him on Twitter.