Surprise trade to acquire Phillip Danault? It comes from an LA journalist

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MarcO
July 28, 2024 (1:45)

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A journalist from The Athletic has just caused a surprise regarding a trade involving Quebec forward Phillip Danault.

The next season will be a crucial one for the Los Angeles Kings.

A negative outcome could lead to a drastic change in the lineup, and several veterans, including Phillip Danault, could face the consequences.

Eric Stephens, who covers the Kings for The Athletic, is among those who think that major changes could occur at the next trade deadline if the results are not positive for the California team.

In the event of an early elimination from the playoff picture, Rob Blake could trade players whose contracts are expiring at the end of the season for quality assets. Thus, Vladislav Gavrikov and Tanner Jeannot would likely be sacrificed.

Classic, you might say, as this type of seller transaction is customary for losing teams at that time of year. But Stephens does not stop there in his thinking.

Trades for Phillip Danault and Drew Doughty if Los Angeles has a poor season?

He believes the organization could go even further in its process by engaging in discussions with veterans such as Drew Doughty and Phillip Danault to see if they really want to endure darker years with the club.

«Kopitar plans to finish his career as a King, but do you have conversations with players like Doughty and Phillip Danault to assess if they would prefer to finish their contracts with a team closer to the Stanley Cup? The rising cap could make Danault a bit easier to move. Doughty's $11 million cap hit, which also extends through 2026-2027, will not be easy to trade in any scenario.» - Eric Stephens

Danault, now 31, will be in the fourth year of a six-year deal he signed with the Kings in July 2021 for the 2024-2025 season. Valued at $5.5 million annually, he will, as Stephens says, be fairly easy to trade as the cap increases in the coming years. His defensive play and veteran skills will certainly help a team reach a new level.

Even though offensive play is not his strength, he can still produce. In 2023-2024, Danault scored 17 goals and 30 assists for a total of 47 points in 78 games. He had accumulated 51 and 54 points in his first two years with the Kings, respectively.

Credit: Rumeursdetransaction
Annonce d'Eric Stephens de The Athletic: Phillip Danault échangé?