Noah Hanifin checks a lot of the Bruins’ boxes.



He is a left-shot defenseman.



The 6-foot-3, 206-pounder is from Norwood. Hanifin played at St. Sebastian’s for three seasons, de-camped for Ann Arbor for one year, and returned to Massachusetts to be a Boston College freshman before turning pro.



The Bruins had eyes on Hanifin, along with Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov, in 2015. According to general manager Don Sweeney, it would have cost picks 13-15 (Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn) to move up to select any of the three. Carolina drafted Hanifin fifth. Philadelphia took Provorov at No. 7. Zach Werenski went one pick later to Columbus.



The 21-year-old already has 239 games of NHL experience, but has yet to approach his career sweet spot. He skates with speed, power, and agility.



All these qualities do not make Hanifin’s desirability exclusive to the Bruins.



Defensemen like Hanifin are not usually available.