The Los Angeles Kings have sent Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2026 second-round pick.

Danault has zero goals and five assists in 30 games this season, playing in a reduced role for the Kings. Along with his offense completely crashing, Danault has seen his icetime drop nearly two minutes per game over the past two seasons, with rumors even surfacing that he has asked for a trade.

With both Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook sidelined, Danault could jump into a second-line role for the Habs upon arrival. However, Danault could also slide down the lineup once one or both are back, as he may be more valuable as a shutdown center anyway. Dach (fractured foot) should be ready to return by early January, while Newhook (fractured ankle) will probably have to wait until about March. Danault is also a native of Quebec who once played for the Habs, which should not be lost here because it could also help turn his season around.

Danault could provide short-term value in fantasy leagues given the Habs' immediate lack of center depth. However, his keeper value is not very high because of how his scoring numbers have trended.

Players this helps, in order:

Danault

Alex Turcotte