'I'M OBVIOUSLY THRILLED'

Settling in comfortably for a couple hours of CGI-magic raptor and T-Rex carnage, the opening credits having just faded from the screen, Noah Hanifin felt his cell phone vibrate.
"A little strange,'' confessed the suddenly-on-the-move defenceman. "I was at the theatre with my brother and sister, here in Boston, watching the new Jurassic Park movie when my agent, Pat Brisson, called and gave me a head's-up that this was happening.

"I'd had an inkling something might be up the night before. Wasn't sure where, though.
"So I had to step outside to take the call."
His preliminary review on the trade that has shipped him to the Flames from Raleigh, N.C.?
"I'm obviously thrilled."
A review on JP: Fallen Kingdom?
"After the call, I kinda missed the whole movie, to be honest with you. The first five minutes seemed promising."
Promise is what attracted the organization to Hanifin in the first place.
Not five minutes, but three seasons worth.
Only 21, already nicely battle-tested with 239 NHL games - and 83 points - on his docket, beginning what should be an ascent in the peak of his powers, Hanifin was the fifth-overall selection in the 2015 entry draft by the 'Canes.
Saturday, Day Two of the NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder was acquired along with another former fifth-overall pick (2013), Elias Lindholm, by the Flames in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and the rights to Harvard D-man Adam Fox.

"It's good to get a little bit of a change,'' reckons Hanifin, "especially going to a team in a big hockey town that expects success.
"I'm already familiar with the coach (former 'Canes bench boss Bill Peters), obviously, as well as a few of the players there. Johnny Gaudreau and I have that BC connection and Matt Tkachuk … we played in summer tournaments together since I was about eight years old. I played with him in the U.S. National program.
"So I know both those guys real well and they reached out to me right away.
"This is a great situation for me. Obviously I became pretty close with some of the guys in Carolina.
"But at the end of the day, this is part of the game. I'm excited for the next chapter in my career and to be a part of the Canadian hockey culture.
"Coming from Boston, a big hockey town like Calgary, it was a bit different going to Carolina. But they have passionate fans there. The game is still growing in that area. And that part is cool, spreading the game in youth clinics and things of that nature.
"I enjoyed my time there."
Here, Hanifin re-connects with Peters, the only pro coach he's ever known, who stepped down from his post with the Hurricanes to become part of the Calgary project.
"Bill's an intelligent guy, a great coach," he said. "We had a good relationship during our time together in Carolina so the familiarity will make the transition easier for me.
"The first thing I thought when I heard I was going to Calgary was how many pieces are already there for success. Elias and I are excited to help build on that, try to get into the playoffs this year and go from there.
"I'm looking forward to being a part of it.
"At first, you come in and try to figure out what the league is all about. Each year helps you get better in different areas. Now going to Calgary, I think I'm ready to take that 'next step' you always hear people talk about.
"I think I'm definitely going to have the opportunity to do that, and to play with the great players in Calgary, guys like Giordano and the rest, can only help me achieve that."