Towards the end of the 2016-17 season, Noah Hanifin stepped up in a big way for the Carolina Hurricanes. He saw a significant jump in ice time coupled with a new partner in Brett Pesce that provided a visible jump-start to his game, on and off the scoresheet.
Having a recurring partner not named Klas Dahlbeck or Matt Tennyson not only helped improve Hanfin’s numbers, but also his confidence. And after somewhat of a rocky defensive start to the new season, his offensive jump has shot him into the upper echelon of NHL blueliners.