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Ken Holland opens up on what drove the Phillip Danault trade to the Canadiens
Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
The Los Angeles Kings traded Phillip Danault to Montreal, and now we finally understand why.
Late Friday night, the Montreal Canadiens acquired Danault from the Kings in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.
At 32, he has five assists in 30 games this season and no goals. In his first year with the Kings, he scored 27, and nearly 20 in each of the next two seasons. He has 399 points in 741 career games with a 53.1 percent faceoff success rate.
His first stint in Montreal, from 2016 to 2021, earned him 194 points in 360 games.
Ken Holland explains why he traded Phillip Danault
On the Los Angeles side, Ken Holland did not talk about a locker-room conflict. The message was instead about a hierarchy that shifted, with Quinton Byfield becoming more prominent.
"Holland also says Danault's role had been reduced by growth of Byfield and Laferriere. Says trade for a center is possible but said Laferriere can play center, too."
- via Helene Elliott
- via Helene Elliott
Even his ice time slipped to about 16 minutes per game. Danault also lost penalty-killing assignments, where he was often the number one option.
In Los Angeles, he found himself much less used shorthanded, and that made people talk. Result: his salary became heavy for a reduced role, and the Kings chose flexibility.
"Kent Hughes says he reached out to Kings GM Ken Holland when he heard rumours L.A were looking to move Philip Danault; Hughes told Holland to give him a call if he was ever seriously considering trading Danault."
- Priyanta Emrith
- Priyanta Emrith
In Montreal, Kent Hughes is betting on a center who already knows the pressure of the market.
The GM expects to see Danault join the team for Tuesday's game in Boston. The Canadiens add a veteran without touching their young players. For a club looking for reinforcement at center, a second-round pick is a reasonable price.
This is not a story of slammed doors, it is a story of shrinking space.