Phillip Danault has only five goals this season

When the former management led by Marc Bergevin let Phillip Danault go to free agency during the summer of 2021, the majority of Montreal Canadiens fans were disappointed and frustrated.

Why?

Because the Los Angeles Kings managed to sign Danault for $5.5 million per year until 2027, an annual amount that was only $500,000 higher than what Bergevin had offered Danault.

The pride of the former general manager of the Habs weighed too heavily in the balance, as he had refused to give a little more to the Quebec center.

Here we are now four years later, and even though Danault may have been somewhat missed by the team in the early years of the rebuild, one could say that today, the Quebec player wouldn’t really have a prime spot in Montreal.

Especially when we compare Danault’s production this season to that of Jake Evans.

Indeed, this season, Phillip Danault has only scored five goals (he scored his 5th last night), while Jake Evans has 11.

LA Kings forward Phil Danault with an unreal shot, short side just under the bar. What a goal! @OctagonHockey https://t.co/g1RtGwCG6h pic.twitter.com/aVeR7IMfzh

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) February 2, 2025

There is still a big difference between the two players, even though they both have 25 points.

Today, I would pick Evans over Danault for my team any day.

Evans is three years younger (28 vs 31), and on top of that, he earns much less per year ($1.7 million vs $5.5 million) to do the same job as Danault.

Obviously, Evans does not have a contract for the next season, but if he re-signs with the Habs, it will never be for $5.5 million.

The Canadiens will surely offer him something around $3.5 million per year at most.

In short, even if Danault could have very well helped the Habs in the early years of their rebuild, he would have quickly become a contract falling into the same category as Josh Anderson’s, namely a contract that one looks forward to ending.

Without Danault, Evans was able to develop better and has become a solid two-way forward who excels on the penalty kill today.

So, many have blamed Marc Bergevin, but in the end, today, no one would take Danault and his five goals before Jake Evans.

In Brief
– To be closely followed today.

Since the Canadiens play at 1:00 PM local time (4:00 PM Quebec time), the team will not practice and no media availability is on the agenda. We will have to wait to see who plays and who doesn’t.

The skills competition of the AHL will start at 6:00 PM local time and will be held at…

— Maxime Truman (@MaximeTruman) February 2, 2025

– Indeed.

the two best slovenian athletes of all time are now in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/isUcRHDt3w

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 2, 2025

– That would be great.

The Canadiens could have a Koivu and a Carbonneau again.

— Andrew Zadarnowski (@AZadarski) February 2, 2025

– A truly ridiculous gesture.

This isn’t an ill-timed check, an act of frustration or a player who isn’t in control. It’s not “spur of the moment.”
It’s a strategic, dangerous act by a repeat offender who likely hopped the boards with this act in mind.
This is what players want punished. https://t.co/eoTgGb7piI

— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) February 2, 2025

– Ryan Suzuki is already heading back to the American League.

The #Canes have recalled defenseman Riley Stillman and assigned forward Ryan Suzuki to the @Chicago_Wolves.https://t.co/HXSfvAiXHE

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) February 2, 2025