Star NHL Defenseman Noah Hanifin Spends Day With Island Hockey Players
David Creed •
![Hanifin](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286010/451043097_498940939313810_483049983754366907_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
The Riley Hockey Clinic welcomed a special guest to their Tuesday session at the Nantucket Ice Rink. Las Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin made the day trip over to the island to spend time on and off the ice with the island hockey players and campers.
Hanifin skated with kids, ran through drills, took photos, signed their gear, and spoke to them prior to the beginning of their skill work - preaching the importance of hard work and good character on the ice and in the classroom.
![451414478 498940919313812 1426966197921029116 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286117/451414478_498940919313812_1426966197921029116_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
![451394755 498940882647149 5371127297954598872 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286127/451394755_498940882647149_5371127297954598872_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
![451396257 498940935980477 4069504737406982405 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286128/451396257_498940935980477_4069504737406982405_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
Hanifin, 27, is a Massachusetts native and has played nine NHL seasons after being selected 5th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2015 NHL Draft. He has 62 goals and 224 assists for 286 points in 678 career games.
Hanifin played one college season at Boston College and recently signed a massive 8 year, $58.8 million contract with Vegas - locking him in to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come as a top-pairing defenseman.
![Riley and Hanifin](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286163/451068550_498940929313811_7923366881087410057_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
The photo above is Hanifin with the camp’s director, Mark Riley - a former captain of Boston College’s hockey team who has directed camps across the region for three decades. “Riley Hockey” has played an instrumental part in the development of the island’s hockey culture over the years with a majority of Whaler hockey players who you see representing Nantucket’s high school teams in the winter partaking in the camp at some point while growing up. This is the 23rd year the camp has been held on Nantucket.
![451180087 498940925980478 671668204306543056 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286185/451180087_498940925980478_671668204306543056_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
![451387073 498940922647145 3968045554928050000 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286244/451387073_498940922647145_3968045554928050000_n_2024-07-17-033935_gixn_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
Hanifin told the Current he has been visiting the island for years and that it is one of his favorite places to be. Despite his move out to Vegas to continue his NHL career, he said he has no plans to stop coming here in his free time, and plans to be back soon.
![451261852 498940879313816 8457745268348626851 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286196/451261852_498940879313816_8457745268348626851_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
![451305597 498940875980483 568572692346970491 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286198/451305597_498940875980483_568572692346970491_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)
![451131634 498940932647144 6882689547854705164 n](https://nantucket-current.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/assets/imager/mainuploads/286215/451131634_498940932647144_6882689547854705164_n_40753240154b642b79a8b14aaf2a86eb.jpg)