The Montreal Canadiens have brought back forward Phillip Danault, acquiring him in a trade from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Danault has only five assists in 30 games this season, but his underlying possession numbers are still as strong as they were when he was first a part of the Canadiens organization. The 32-year-old has two years remaining on a contract with an average cap hit of $5.5 million per season. The second-round pick in the trade is the one the team acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the trade with Patrik Laine.
Danault will provide a big boost to the Canadiens forward depth as they look to take the next step in their development. His ability to take some of the defensive responsibilities away from Nick Suzuki, while sheltering Oliver Kapanen, and providing support for Jake Evans are all aspects that make this a solid trade for the Canadiens, especially given the return of a second-round pick.
He also has the ability to shift possession in his team’s favour, something that hasn’t really been a calling card of the team’s bottom six.
The move was done just an hour before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze.
