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Kings and Canadiens complete trade sending Phil Danault back to Montreal
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Late night on Friday, the Montreal Canadiens have confirmed an important acquisition for the team.
We know that Kent Hughes has been searching for a second-line center for quite some time. Many names circulated, but the general manager has just completed a trade.
Phillip Danault is back with the Habs
Phillip Danault is joining the Montreal Canadiens.
Here is the announcement:
The Canadiens have acquired forward Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.
- Canadiens
- Canadiens
At 32 years old, the center from Victoriaville has 0 goals and 5 assists in 30 games this season. His plus-minus is +3, which is surprising, with only 5 points.
In his career, he has totaled 741 games, 125 goals, 274 assists, and 399 points. The file is easy to summarize: we are talking about an established player, not a gamble.
Regarding the contract, Danault is signed for six years and 33 million, with a salary cap hit of 5.5 million per season. The deal runs until the end of 2026-2027, which explains why everyone is talking about the price paid.
Last season, he produced 43 points in 80 games, then 8 points in 6 playoff games.
With the Kings since 2021-2022, he has 200 points in 349 games, including 70 goals.
In Montreal, Danault played 360 regular-season games from 2016 to 2021. His offensive peak with the Canadiens was 53 points in 81 games during the 2018-2019 season. In 2021, he also played 22 playoff games during the run to the Final.