Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Phillip Danault is back in Montreal, and things are heating up in Los Angeles.
Within media circles, Frank Seravalli suggested that this was not the trade they wanted to make, but rather an option that became necessary.
“I don’t think it was a trade that the Kings really wanted to make, particularly getting futures back; look to see the Kings package that 2nd round pick before the deadline to do something else that’s bigger.”
– Frank Seravalli on the Danault trade
The idea is that Los Angeles did not get the type of return it had hoped for, despite interest on the market.
Frank Seravalli says the Phillip Danault trade is one the Los Angeles Kings absolutely did not want to make
They made a quick decision, were backed into a corner, and already seem to regret it. The problem is that a center capable of playing heavy minutes cannot be replaced with a simple draft pick.
Phillip Danault changes the dynamic in Montreal, without any doubt. On the Kings’ side, the trade opens a clear hole down the middle.
Alex Turcotte is often mentioned as an option, but it’s understood that he is not yet established in a long-term third-center role.
As a result, the organization now has to find a solution, and quickly, if it wants to remain credible in its race. They already need to try to acquire a kind of “Phillip Danault,” ironically enough.
With a 2nd-round pick in hand, the name Ken Holland is already coming up in discussions.
There is an expectation that he will start calling around to turn that asset into immediate help, especially with the trade deadline approaching.
It’s no secret that teams aspiring to win the Stanley Cup always protect their center depth.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, Kent Hughes just took advantage of a rare window.
He landed a known player. Put simply, the Habs paid little to bring back a center who already knows the pressure of playing in Montreal.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Insider reveals what the Kings really wanted for Danault before budging to the Canadiens
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