On January 15, 2018, Hanifin was selected as the sole representative of the Hurricanes at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. On March 19, 2018, Hanifin was diagnosed with a concussion and was ruled out indefinitely. After missing just three games, Hanifin returned to the Hurricanes' lineup on March 24 in a 5–2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Hanifin scored what ended up being the game-winning goal. Despite the Hurricanes not qualifying for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Hanifin ended the regular season with a career-high 10 goals and 32 points.