On Friday evening, the Los Angeles Kings secured center Phillip Danault from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a second-round draft pick originally owned by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although the team’s direction seems clear, this trade, orchestrated by Kings GM Ken Holland, might create challenges for the Kings as soon as next season.
Danault has struggled this year, recording only five assists and no goals in 30 games, with an average ice time of 16:19 per game. For the remainder of the season, the Kings will rely somewhat on key centers Anze Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, Alex Turcotte, and Samuel Helenius. However, with Kopitar expected to retire at season’s end, the team faces a thin center depth if new acquisitions aren’t made or if internal players don’t develop further.
Ideally, Los Angeles hopes Byfield will emerge as a true top-line center, and Turcotte, a 2019 first-round pick, will move up to a top-six role, but there’s no guarantee this will happen. Recently, the Kings secured a close 2-1 win at Amalie Arena, marking their 23rd game this season decided by just one goal. Notably, this was the fourth consecutive game without Danault, sidelined with the flu, during which the team has maintained an 8-4 record.
Byfield and Turcotte have yet to demonstrate they can handle greater responsibilities, and the Kings remain playoff hopeful, aiming to reach the first round since their 2014 Stanley Cup victory. Trading Danault for a second-round pick may not seem like a move for immediate contention unless there’s a broader strategy behind it.
With Danault’s $5.5 million cap hit removed, Los Angeles now has $9.3 million in salary cap space and possesses multiple early-round draft picks over the next three years, but signing a high-caliber center on the trade market remains difficult. Danault, a second-round pick himself, comes with a relatively high salary for his current output, highlighting how tough and costly it is to find reliable middle-six centers.
The trade raises questions about the Kings’ roster that could be answered in upcoming games, as the team either fills these internal gaps or faces continued underperformance that might force further actions.
Fan Take: This trade signals a critical juncture for the Kings as they navigate rebuilding while staying competitive. For hockey fans, it highlights the ongoing challenge teams face in balancing immediate needs with long-term development, making every draft pick and trade a vital part of shaping the sport’s future.
