2024-25 Playoff Focus: Noah Hanifin (GM 3 vs. EDM)
Cool as a cucumber
For better or worse, Noah Hanifin has a habit of alternating between frenetic and frighteningly quiet performances. He found the sweet spot on Saturday night to pull the Golden Knights back into their second-round series against the Oilers.
The 28-year-old defenseman traded in sizzle for efficiency, and that emphasis on two-way detail guided the team to pay dirt late in the first period:
As the puck travels up the wall to Connor McDavid (EDM 97), we have to consider what makes his skating special. It’s more than merely top speed (although it’s pretty damn spectacular too). It’s the fact that he can spring it on you at any point in his shift. After a grueling 60 seconds on the ice, he can still blow past you the instant he receives a decent touch.
In other words, you can NEVER grant him any breathing room.
Hanifin (VGK 15) understood his assignment in Game 3. Rather than settling into his backskate without forward support (a death sentence vs. McDavid), he goes on the offensive, surfing downhill to cordon off middle ice and dispossess Edmonton’s kind-of-tired captain. ~10 seconds later, the puck is in the Oilers’ net:
Obviously, Reilly Smith (VGK 19) is the engine behind this highlight-reel goal. Great hands in transition. However, he doesn’t encounter a single blueliner on this sequence. Why? Early kill —> early reset —> the Oilers can’t sort out their NZ defense.
As a result, wingers Vasily Podkolzin (EDM 92) and Viktor Arvidsson (EDM 33) are tasked with slowing down a charging Golden Knights forward. It…doesn’t go particularly well.
The little things add up against a high-octane opponent. We saw it on Smith’s goal, and this positive reinforcement compelled Hanifin to embrace polish over noise. He was more intent on stopping Edmonton in its tracks than activating himself. Watch how little space he tendered Oilers puck-carriers in the NZ:
Although there were a couple of hairy moments in the DZ (inevitable when you’re facing the likes of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), his remarkable physical tools (6’3”, 206 lbs with a top speed in the 92nd percentile) and assertive positioning prevented the opposition from attacking with tempo. They had to chip, chase and then navigate past a long and disruptive Golden Knights crew.
Better yet, Hanifin completed Vegas’ defensive stands by managing the puck intelligently. One crisp pass, and the forecheck was behind them:
Again, this wasn’t about dazzling solo missions. He didn’t barrel down the ice to lead the rush. He didn’t even launch bombs to generate odd-man opportunities. He simply identified the proper outlet and hit them on the tape to point the Golden Knights in the right direction.
Hanifin’s poise under pressure also defused the 50/50s (loose pucks, high flips, etc.) Edmonton had feasted on in the first two tilts of the series. He reached into the pile, secured possession and promptly connected with a teammate.
Instead of taking shortcuts for offense, knocking over the first domino was the priority. There was a feeling of safety when he was out there. Give your teammates enough nudges vs. a questionable defense, and a good first pass can snowball into a quality look as well:
Following an Oilers dump-in, Hanifin’s shoulder-check reveals the lay of the land:
Mattias Janmark (EDM 13) is in position to disrupt a reverse.
Podkolzin is eyeing William Karlsson (VGK 71) in the guts of the DZ.
Arvidsson is sealing the strong-side boards.
The higher option (Ivan Barbashev, VGK 49) has become the optimal one, so Hanifin feathers the puck off the wall and under the F1’s stick to trigger the breakout. An indirect relay to Karlsson produces an Oilers hiccup, and the Golden Knights enjoy a 2-on-2.
While this was a disciplined showing by the D-man, he didn’t totally abstain from the offensive side of the game either. He just waited for the stars to align—and they did in the second frame:
Long change —> NZ reset —> green light. He swings behind the middle driver (Smith) to present an attractive target, then plays catch with Karlsson for the go-ahead goal.
Hanifin was patient and influential in all three zones on Saturday. The kind of affair that causes three different teams (Carolina, Calgary, Vegas) to believe in your “franchise player” potential. He doesn’t always strike this balance, but the Golden Knights will require more of it to push Edmonton to the limit.
He’s their best answer to the Oilers’ dizzying brand of hockey.
On the night, he registered one primary assist, a 68.3 xGF% and Vegas outscored Edmonton 3-0 during his 5-on-5 shifts.
Here are the full highlights: