Like a few of his former Boston College teammates, Noah Hanifin could still be putting the finishing touches on a standout collegiate career within the next month or two.
That fact makes it even harder to believe that the defenseman from Norwood, Mass., played in his 200th NHL game at the beginning of January and was selected to represent the Carolina Hurricanes and the Metropolitan Division at the NHL All-Star Game for the first time in his career less than a week later.
"It feels like just yesterday that I came in for my first year, my first game," said Hanifin, who reached the milestone in a Jan. 4 shutout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. "It goes by pretty fast, so you just have to cherish it all. Obviously, it’s a nice milestone, but I’m excited for what the future holds."
The future ahead is sure looking bright, but so too is the present.
Hanifin’s 71 points over his first 200 NHL games ranks fourth among defensemen in Carolina franchise history. He set a career high with his fifth goal just 25 games into the season before adding two more before the end of the month, including a second game-winning tally. His 21st point of the year — a mark that leads the team’s blueliners — came in a Jan. 6 visit to TD Garden to face his hometown Bruins.
Hanifin already has accomplished a lot in less than three full seasons in the league. Still, Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters knows there is potential to untap.
"Everyone thinks the magic number for young defensemen is 320 (NHL games), so he’s still got lots of room for growth," Peters said. "He’s just a guy who really wants to max out his potential and be a difference maker, and he is. He’s a real good player; as long as he’s moving his feet and skating, he’s hard to play against."
Success is a byproduct of confidence for young NHL players, and confidence comes with experience. In year three, Hanifin is feeling all of it.
Hanifin has been a productive point-producing player through his career at St. Sebastian’s School to The Heights and the pros, but working on both ends of his game has been a goal this season. He’s triggering at a strong rate, too, as his 7.5 shooting percentage (as of Jan. 9) ranked fifth among all NHL defensemen with a minimum of 90 shots on goal this season.
"For me, it’s just been my blueline work and getting shots through," said Hanifin. "You always want to work on your strengths, so I think my offensive game is an area I’ve spent a lot of time developing. … When you have confidence, make plays and you hold on to the puck a little bit longer, points will come."
Offensive instincts and playing with pace are traits Hanifin shares with several Carolina defensemen. His back-end unit is an intriguing one, largely consisting of American products with recent collegiate experience, including fellow Hockey East products Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brett Pesce, who both played three seasons at the University of New Hampshire.
While he was the only true Boston native with TD Garden memories — in the Beanpot and Hockey East tournaments, of course — upon the team’s return last month, Hanifin says there is a common point of pride among his fellow countrymen on defense.
"It’s a pretty good way for us to bond," said Hanifin, who considers Pesce one of his best friends on the team. "We definitely take pride in it. It’s a pretty mobile group on the back end for us, but we all have our own roles, so it’s been fun."
Fun, too, has been the Hurricanes competing in the wild Metro playoff race. Although Hanifin’s club sat in a Jan. 10 tie with Philadelphia and the New York Islanders for last in the division, it was just one game behind the second and final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
"It’s going to be a dogfight in this second half of the season, but we’re happy with where we are right now and want to keep climbing up that ladder," Hanifin said.
