“Of course we’d like him to score”: Kent Hughes wants to see Phillip Danault produce

Marc-Olivier Cook
“Of course we’d like him to score”: Kent Hughes wants to see Phillip Danault produce
Credit: Getty Images

Phillip Danault has played 37 games so far this season.

And he has yet to find the back of the net. He has eight assists on his record – including three since being acquired by the Habs – and he's not the same offensive player he once was in the NHL.

But you know what? It's not the end of the world.

Because in reality, Danault is a useful player for the Habs even if he doesn't score. Kent Hughes said it last night on 98.5 FM: the Canadiens would love to see Danault put it in.

That said, he does so many quiet things on the ice that you can't really blame him. He wins his face-offs, he brings stability to the Canadiens' center line, and he plays a hugely important role in the power play.

And the Habs needed a player like him—especially with the loss of Jake Evans.

There's a reason why Kent Hughes said he was “100%” satisfied with Danault's performance since his acquisition just before the holiday season.

And you can tell from the player's words that he's in a good place mentally right now. He trusts Martin St-Louis, the coach gives him an important role on the ice… and it's producing results.

I wonder, though, if this isn't a little arrow sent to the Kings' head coach…

When Jake Evans returns, the Canadiens will have two high-quality centers on the bottom-6 with Phillip Danault. And that's worth its weight in gold in the National League.

It's also interesting because it's been so long since we've seen this in Montreal. And with Oliver Kapanen playing like a true second-line center, that makes a difference too.

I can't wait for Evans to come back and see what happens. But there are reasons to be optimistic, in my opinion.


Overtime

– Yes.

– I agree.

– One word comes to mind: ark.

– Love the quote.

– It'll be up to the Habs to take advantage.

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