Things didn’t end well between Phillip Danault and the Kings

Jonathan Di Gregorio
Things didn’t end well between Phillip Danault and the Kings
Credit: Screenshot/YouTube

As my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook reported today, the Kings aren't happy with the return they got in the Phillip Danault trade.

This begs the question: why did Ken Holland agree to this deal if he didn't want to do it?

Elliotte Friedman explains why Los Angeles made the trade on the 32 Thoughts podcast.

According to Friedman, the relationship between Danault and his club had deteriorated to the point where both parties had a lotof hard feelings towards each other.

The informant bluntly states that his exit wasnot pretty.

Danault, for his part, wasn't happy with his usage and the Kings' system of play.

The center didn't seem to be adjusting well to his new role, and it showed on the ice when he had no goals and only five assists in 30 games in LA this season.

However, even though his offensive production had dropped, Danault was playing good, effective hockey in his zone, with a +3 record and killing penalties for his former team.

On the other hand, for the Kings, after a campaign of just eight goals last year, the decline in the Québécois forward's production had become problematic and they needed to find a solution.

Especially since the situation was becoming more and more of a distraction, both for the players and the organization.

It's easy to see how things can quickly turn sour in professional sports.

After four seasons at the heart of the Kings' success, Danault probably didn't like the way he was treated this season, and it's easy to see why Ken Holland was forced to make the trade before the holiday freeze.

As Friedman says, things quickly went off the rails between Danault and his team, and it quickly became very intense between the two camps.

Still, it was a win-win situation for the Habs, who were able to acquire the center for a second-round draft pick.


Overtime

– The other's little brother.

– Back-to-back goals for Will Zellers.

– A vicious shot.

– What a comeback.

– From the left.

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