HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Thoughts on Phillip Danault's long-term contract with the LA Kings?

Great player being paid for his playoffs performance yet hasn’t produced much offensively which is the main knock on Danault. We are talking about a 40-45 pts center who can’t reach the 20 goals mark. Term isn’t much of an issue as he has always been healthy and doesn’t play physical but they overpaid 1M/year IMO. Also, it’s funny he went there considering all their elite C prospects and his will to play an important offensive role…

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Thoughts on Phillip Danault's long-term contract with the LA Kings?
- ToddCordellVAN

Phillip Danault was the only reason the Habs "qualified" for the Stanley Cup finals. That team is absolute garbage without him.

PD: 58.7% career defensive zone starts. 63.8% last year. PD will more than capably play the hard minutes that will lighten Kopi's load. He will lighten the load for Byfield, too. He will pitch in 40+ points. Not great for 5.5mm AAV, but its his all around game that justifies the premium.

If all goes well, by the end of 2022, the top 3 lines will feature Kopi/PD/Byfield at center. That's a 2 time Selke winner, a Selke finalist, and a 6'5" kid with an enormous wingspan and lots of speed. Carrying the puck up the ice against that center depth will be tough for LAK's opponents.

Still need more offense, but the Kings are better because of this signing.

I think Danault will be fair value on the contract. He's excellent all around and I think a substantially superior player to Pageau. I do wonder if LAK are the right team given their elite center prospects and Danault's age.

Phillip Danault was the only reason the Habs "qualified" for the Stanley Cup finals. That team is absolute garbage without him.
- CGYFlames13

He had a GREAT playoff, and over the last 5 years has proven to be a sound defensive player. Still, at 5.5 a year....it seems a lot for a 10 goal, 40 point guy.

If he can "up" his game to 18-20 goals and 55-60 points, then he becomes a real bargain. Time will tell, as it usually does with these longer term deals.

Some hotstove lol,Shelley posted his blog on this yesterday and copy and pasted it in this thread.get better boys.

With most long-term deals, you get a bargain for the first few years of the deal, then overpay for the last few years. With Danault, I think LA will get their money's worth in years 1-3, then be overpay for years 4-6. I don't think they'll ever get the bargain that you'd expect with a long-term signing.

Some hotstove lol,Shelley posted his blog on this yesterday and copy and pasted it in this thread.get better boys.
- Dewey8

Give Ben a break. He blogs for like 27 teams in the league on this site.

With most long-term deals, you get a bargain for the first few years of the deal, then overpay for the last few years. With Danault, I think LA will get their money's worth in years 1-3, then be overpay for years 4-6. I don't think they'll ever get the bargain that you'd expect with a long-term signing.
- tkecanuck341

I think if you went back and analyzed UFA contracts of 5+ years, <50% are good by year 3. 2016 UFA class was probably <25%.

I think if you went back and analyzed UFA contracts of 5+ years, <50% are good by year 3. 2016 UFA class was probably <25%.
- jfkst1

I should say "you expect to get a bargain" for the first half of the deal. For this contract, I don't think that's the case.

I should say "you expect to get a bargain" for the first half of the deal. For this contract, I don't think that's the case.
- tkecanuck341

That's more than fair. I just don't think that poorly of this contract compared to many that are predictably bad after maybe a year. A legit concern is if he is productive enough to stay at 2C and not get passed by a young skilled C.

That's more than fair. I just don't think that poorly of this contract compared to many that are predictably bad after maybe a year. A legit concern is if he is productive enough to stay at 2C and not get passed by a young skilled C.
- jfkst1

I think the expectation is that he will eventually be passed by one of the young centers (most likely Byfield) and will get relegated to 3C before the end of the deal. He said as much in his onboarding interviews.

I think you need three good centers to win, so 2C or 3C isn't that big of a deal... other than maybe a little bit of ice time. -- Danault

— John Hoven | The Mayor (@mayorNHL)

Phillip Danault was the only reason the Habs "qualified" for the Stanley Cup finals. That team is absolute garbage without him.
- CGYFlames13

No.

Danault was definitely a key part of the Habs’ run but hardly the “only reason” they made the Final. He’ll be missed in Montreal and will be a worthy contributor in LA. However, he's not quite as offence capable as he imagines and I think a fair market contract for him would have been 5 x 4.5. But great for him for getting more. LA is getting a good player for a somewhat inflated sticker price (par for the course for free agency).

Some hotstove lol,Shelley posted his blog on this yesterday and copy and pasted it in this thread.get better boys.
- Dewey8

Just to clarify, I didn't post the Hotstove and didn't know that any of my article was getting included. Don't have a problem with it, but wasn't my call.

I doe know ? Not good !

Danault plays a 3rd line shut-down center game to perfection, he's a great, smart, and responsible player. On a very weak team like the habs a few years ago, he got to play on the 1st and 2nd line which explains why he got interesting numbers but he can't carry real offensive responsibility.

The problem is if you pay your 3rd line center 5.5m then how can you afford a 1st and a 2nd center for the next 6 years? As much as I like him as a player and I'm happy for him but like 90% of UFA's, there is no way he live up to the expectation of this contract.

Danault plays a 3rd line shut-down center game to perfection, he's a great, smart, and responsible player. On a very weak team like the habs a few years ago, he got to play on the 1st and 2nd line which explains why he got interesting numbers but he can't carry real offensive responsibility.

The problem is if you pay your 3rd line center 5.5m then how can you afford a 1st and a 2nd center for the next 6 years? As much as I like him as a player and I'm happy for him but like 90% of UFA's, there is no way he live up to the expectation of this contract.
- bakunin

By having cap flexibility which LA has. After the 21-22 season. LA has almost 30mil in cap space. Not to mention any potential salary cap rises in the next few years. LA is fine. And have tons of money.

By having cap flexibility which LA has. After the 21-22 season. LA has almost 30mil in cap space. Not to mention any potential salary cap rises in the next few years. LA is fine. And have tons of money.
- poisondhearts37

For now this is true, but I do worry about 4 years from now when Byfield signs his next contract.

Next hot stove. OFFER SHEETS. How are the Canucks gonna sign 3 important players with only 14mil in cap space. Jason Richardinson, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Huges. Offer sheets are the time of now.

LA is getting a very good player and we'll miss him. Too bad we couldn't make a deal work but such is life in the salary cap era.

Not the best scorer but he's the perfect 3C any team would want, he excels at shutting down an opponent's best line.

I'm sure you guys will like him in LA.

LA is getting a very good player and we'll miss him. Too bad we couldn't make a deal work but such is life in the salary cap era.

Not the best scorer but he's the perfect 3C any team would want, he excels at shutting down an opponent's best line.

I'm sure you guys will like him in LA.
- Garfield512

Now that I know that Lias Andersson is forfeiting #24 so Danault can wear it, I'm ordering my next jersey as soon as possible.

Everyone in the hockey world seems to agree that Danault's contract is about a year to long and maybe a million to much -- but that's generally what you get when you sign an UFA -- it's a pretty decent contract for a pretty decent player.

It certainly signals that Blake feels the Kings can return to the Playoffs immediately, and make some noise while Kopitar and Doughty can still play. Blake is giving the Kings an outside chance to compete, while not giving up any of the assets that is going to make the team dangerous 3-5 years from now.

It's a win-win situation.

Now that I know that Lias Andersson is forfeiting #24 so Danault can wear it, I'm ordering my next jersey as soon as possible.
- tkecanuck341

How has Lias played?

Phillip Danault was the only reason the Habs "qualified" for the Stanley Cup finals. That team is absolute garbage without him.
- CGYFlames13

I can't remember the Flames being there, were they ?