Phillip Danault had warned the Los Angeles Kings

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Jeff Drouin
April 12, 2022 (12:03)

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One of the surprise teams in the NHL this year is the Los Angeles Kings. After missing the playoffs the last three seasons, the California team is in a good position this year as they are currently in third place in the Pacific Division.

And we can say that the arrival of Phillip Danault has a lot to do with it. The former Habs forward signed as a free agent last summer, accepting a 6-year deal for $33 million, and has set a career high with 21 goals, up from 13 in his best season with the Habs.

Despite his offensive blossoming, Danault has not neglected his defense at all, as evidenced by his +13 rating this season, and his trio is often matched up against the opposition's best trio.

However, before he signed with the Kings, the center had a very special request of the team's management.

As reported by David Armoni of Marker.com, Danault made it clear to team management that he wasn't just a defensive center and could contribute on offense. That's according to the reporter assigned to cover the Kings for the Los Angeles Times, Helene Elliott, in an article published last Thursday.

It certainly appears that the former Canadiens' request has been heard.

If the playoffs were to begin tomorrow morning, the Kings would face the second ranked Edmonton Oilers in the first round.

And it's a safe bet that if the Kings do face Connor McDavid, Danault's trio will most likely be matched up with the Oilers' #97. That would be a tall order for him, but he knows the role well, he did it very well last year during the Canadiens' improbable run to the finals.