Kings' president has a lot to say regarding Phillip Danault and addresses the rumour that he has been relegated to 3rd center

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Elias Edmonson
October 29, 2023 (3:08 PM)

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We can confidently say that Phillip Danault has been thoroughly happy since he donned the colors of the Los Angeles Kings.

The former Canadien is in his third season of the contract he signed in the summer of 2021, and he just had his best career campaign in 2022-2023, tallying 54 points.

That said, it's true that his role with the Kings is somewhat different from what he experienced in Montreal, but his offensive contribution has been more significant in the last two seasons.

However, the arrival of Pierre-Luc Dubois during the summer might have led many hockey fans in Quebec to believe that Danault would revert to a more defensive role on a third line with the Kings. Still, it seems that isn't the case, according to a well-known NHL legend familiar to Quebec hockey fans.

During an interview he had with Jean-Charles Lajoie on TVA Sports, the former Kings player and now team president, Luc Robitaille, didn't share that view. He instead stated that none of the center players on his team have a defined role at the moment.

Here's what he had to say:

"It's hard to say who's no 1, no 2, or no 3 on our team.

Of course, you have to put names on the board, but I'm not ready to say Phillip is our third center. I'm ready to say we have three excellent centers."

The rumor that Danault was demoted to the third center is therefore not accurate.

These are rather reassuring words from Lucky Luke, who has always had the interests of Quebec hockey players at heart.

He later praised Dubois highly and also boasted about the Kings' center line, which might be the best in the NHL.

"He's a player who will help us. First and foremost, he's a great team player, and on the ice, he's a great hockey player. He uses his size, has speed, and is physical. He's exactly the type of player we were looking for.

When you have Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Phillip Danault at the center, it's not easy playing against us."

Just imagine for a second, as a forward, having to face three such solid centers in a game against the Kings. It could give some coaches headaches.

The Kings organization has high hopes for the 2023-2024 season. If the team qualifies for the playoffs, watch out for this formidable center line comprised of Kopitar, Danault, and Dubois.

It could be dangerous!