Danault revealed when he knew he was leaving the Montreal Canadiens
One of the biggest mourning for the Montreal Canadiens during the summer is without a doubt the departure of Phillip Danault. The latter signed a lucrative six-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings.
The Quebecer gave a superb interview with Renaud Lavoie, where he took the opportunity to put his cards on the table. According to him, the Habs did not give him a second chance during the contract negotiations. He would have liked to stay in Montreal, but in his mind, he knew that he would leave the Tricolore, and this, at the beginning of the 2020-2021 season.
"They didn't come back to keep me. I would have liked to stay in Montreal. That's okay too. The Canadiens made the decision to go with the young guys. I am not angry, I understand very well. I'm not the first one to have this happen. It seems like I knew all along that I was going. My wife and child helped me a lot. I came back from hockey and it was not easy during the pandemic. I had the wind in my face, solid, but it was important for me to succeed."
Danault also admitted to losing his passion for hockey a bit in recent seasons. He didn't particularly like his defensive role in Montreal, but he always did what his coaches asked of him, without complaint. However, he is happy with his new role with the Kings, with whom he has a lot of freedom and fun.
"It's a different thing. It's not just defensive right now. In Montreal, I tried not to think about it too much. My main goal is still hockey. But when you can't have fun with the puck and you just focus on the defensive game, the passion can slowly drop. I wasn't whining and I was doing my part. I was doing what I was told to do. Here, I'm given more freedom and allowed to fly on my own."
The number 24 also talked about his adaptation to his new environment. One thing is certain, the Los Angeles vibe is not at all the same as in Montreal. He did not hide it, he is very apprehensive about his new lifestyle, even if it is very different.
"We are slowly adapting, it's completely different. We went to a restaurant, we just had dinner with my wife and me. There were no pictures or autographs. It's just very simple. In Montreal, everybody knows you and it's the only sport. Here, we are the sixth most popular sport. Los Angeles is huge! There are a lot of people. It allows us to do other things too. Mentally, it's less hard. It's a big change and a big adjustment."
The center has always been very genuine, which is something I really like about Phillip. He always speaks his mind, which is not something everyone can do.
