{"id":456528,"date":"2026-02-06T00:27:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T00:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/456528\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T00:27:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T00:27:08","slug":"breaking-down-phillip-danaults-impact-on-the-montreal-canadiens-the-hockey-writers-montreal-canadiens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/456528\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Down Phillip Danault\u2019s Impact on the Montreal Canadiens – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> acquired Phillip Danault<\/a> from the Los Angeles Kings<\/a>, the move didn\u2019t generate fireworks around the league. There was no blockbuster package, no long-term commitment, and no illusion that Danault would suddenly transform the Habs into a different team overnight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But context matters. Montreal was battered by injuries<\/a> down the middle, struggling to manage matchups, faceoffs, and defensive responsibilities. What the Canadiens needed wasn\u2019t flash; it was reliability. And in that sense, bringing Danault back to Montreal has quietly become one of the team\u2019s most impactful in-season decisions.<\/p>\n

The Trade<\/p>\n

The Canadiens acquired Danault from the Kings in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick<\/a>, a price that reflected both his age and his clearly defined role. Montreal wasn\u2019t trading for upside or offensive ceiling. They were trading for certainty. With injuries piling up and the centre depth stretched thin, management felt the need to bring in a player who could be trusted in all situations, defensive zone draws, penalty killing, late-game leads, and matchups against top opposing lines.<\/p>\n

\"PhillipMontreal Canadiens center Phillip Danault (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Since the trade, Danault has recorded eight points in 20 games, modest production on paper but entirely secondary to his real value. Averaging 15:54 of ice time per game, he has been deployed exactly as expected, not as a focal point offensively, but as a stabilizing presence throughout the lineup. Perhaps most telling is his 57.8% faceoff success rate<\/a> since he arrived in Montreal, immediately placing him among Montreal\u2019s most reliable options on draws. For a team that has struggled in the faceoff circle at times, that alone has tangible downstream effects on puck possession and defensive structure.<\/p>\n

The Impact<\/p>\n

Danault\u2019s arrival has coincided with a noticeable shift in the Canadiens\u2019 results. Since he joined the lineup, Montreal has posted a 13-5-2 record, a stretch that reflects not just better outcomes, but a more controlled brand of hockey. While it would be an oversimplification to credit one player for an entire team\u2019s turnaround, Danault\u2019s influence is hard to ignore.<\/p>\n

\"SUBSCRIBE<\/a><\/p>\n

Faceoffs are often an underappreciated part of the game, but winning draws consistently allows teams to dictate play rather than react. Danault\u2019s efficiency has helped Montreal exit their zone more cleanly, reduce extended defensive shifts, and start with possession in key moments. His calm, predictable decision-making has also eased pressure on younger players and allowed the coaching staff to better manage matchups, especially against opposing top-six forwards.<\/p>\n

Beyond the numbers, Danault brings an understanding of what it takes to win in Montreal. He knows the market, the expectations, and the scrutiny. That familiarity shows in the way he plays: composed, disciplined, and rarely trying to do too much. His presence has given the Canadiens a dependable baseline shift after shift, something that becomes especially valuable during long stretches of the season when injuries and fatigue begin to test organizational depth.<\/p>\n

Stabilizing the Canadiens When It Mattered Most<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Danault\u2019s return has been about stabilization. Not reinvention, not star power, but balance. For a Canadiens team navigating injuries and lineup uncertainty, his addition has allowed roles to fall back into place. Younger centres aren\u2019t being overexposed, wingers have clearer responsibilities, and the coaching staff can deploy lines with greater confidence in defensive situations.<\/p>\n

This type of move often goes under the radar because it doesn\u2019t dominate highlight reels or trade-deadline headlines. But teams that aspire to compete need players like Danault, professionals who raise the floor of the lineup and ensure that even on off nights, the structure remains intact. Montreal paid a reasonable price for exactly that, and the early returns suggest it was a smart investment.<\/p>\n

Related: Montreal Canadiens\u2019 Top 10 Prospects for February 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

As the season continues, Danault\u2019s contribution may never fully be captured by box scores alone. But if the Canadiens remain steady, competitive, and difficult to play against, his fingerprints will be all over it. Sometimes the most important trades aren\u2019t about chasing something new; they\u2019re about bringing back what you know works.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When the Montreal Canadiens acquired Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings, the move didn\u2019t generate fireworks around…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":456529,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[49,48,10632,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-456528","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-phillip-danault","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456528"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456528\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/456529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}