The Los Angeles Kings made a splash in free agency yesterday, signing forward Phillip Danault to a six-year contract, which carries a $5.5 million AAV.
Danault is 28 years old and had been with the Montreal Canadiens since 2016. His production was down this season, but he can typically be counted on for between 40-50 points per year. Danault has become one of the league’s best defensive centers and was a key part of Montreal's deep playoff run.
It was a little surprising to see the team bring in another center rather than a winger, given that the Kings do have many prospects up the middle. That said, we can probably assume the likes of Alex Turcotte and Gabriel Vilardi will now be transitioned to the wing instead, leaving one long-term opening up the middle in the top-six for Quinton Byfield.
I’m a huge fan of Danault’s game and I think he’s going to be an excellent addition for the Kings. He should be a great long-term fit as a middle-six center and is extremely well-rounded. Also given his age, even if we see a decline during the six-year term, it’s probably not coming until very late in the contract.
The Kings may have overpaid here but I don’t think it’s by a drastic margin. The best comparable may be Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s contract with the New York Islanders, given Pageau had similar production to Danault and also has a great defensive game. Pageau was 28 years old in the first year of his contract as well, which was for six years at a $5 million AAV.
With the signing, the team still has cap space remaining for future contract extensions and added a very well-rounded center. While they may have given a bit more money than ideal, I think this move will end up working out very well for the Kings in the coming years.
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