'A Lot Of Hard Feelings': NHL Insider Talks Messy Departure For Danault And The Kings

It's been a few days since the Los Angeles Kings traded Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2026 second-round pick, which belonged to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

However, even though Danault is set to make his Canadiens return on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, more details are emerging in the aftermath of the deal.

"I think that exit between Danault and the Kings was not pretty," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on Monday's episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast. "I think there were a lot of hard feelings there… on both sides," he added.

Friedman shared that in the lead-up to eventually sending Danault back to his home province, there was some tension between the player and the Kings, including GM Ken Holland.

"It got really intense… and really off the rails," Friedman said.

He further discussed that Holland was interested in acquiring a player to replace Danault, preferably another center. But with the way the relationship was going with Danault and the Kings organization, Los Angeles' GM thought it was time for the move, as it became "too distracting."

Ken Holland's Latest Move May Force Him Into AnotherAfter Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland sent Phillip Danault back to the Montreal Canadiens, there will be a gaping hole down the middle when next season rolls around

With zero goals and five assists on the board for Danault this season, he also averaged 16:19 of ice time under head coach Jim Hiller.

Friedman theorized that it's likely the 32-year-old wasn't happy with the system or how he was utilized in the lineup. While Danault is on track to have one of the worst campaigns of his career in terms of offensive production, his ice time average is the lowest since 2016-17.

Even if Danault isn't having a great season, he provides the services of a respectable defensive center. Not many teams around the league can say that they have one of those, let alone a solid, veteran, middle-six center.

"It just shows you how bad that relationship got that, it's hard to find centers, and (the Kings) traded one," Friedman said.

Nonetheless, the dispute is over, and both sides have moved on. In the meantime, Alex Turcotte will slide up the lineup with a grand opportunity for him to grow and prove he's more than he's shown to this point.

What The Danault Trade Means For Alex Turcotte's Future In Los AngelesThe latest trade Los Angeles made last night, which sent Phillip Danault back to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2026 second-round pick, just opened the door for Alex Turcotte to play a big role after being stuck on the fourth line for years.

Also, the pressure continues to increase on Quinton Byfield, who, by next season, will be the face of the Kings' center ice with the retirement of captain Anze Kopitar.

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