Latest On Sam Montembeault
Red Wings Head Coach Todd McLellan told reporters, including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that Patrick Kane will not be back until after Christmas, due to an upper body injury. Kane last played on December 13 against his former Blackhawks, managing to finish the contest despite injury, but has been absent for the team’s last four games since, in which they’ve managed to win three.
Now 37, the future Hall of Famer has 23 points in 24 games, fifth on the team despite playing more than 10 less games, due to various injuries throughout the first half. John Leonard, a 27-year-old elite AHL scorer, earned a call up from his extraordinary numbers with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Leonard has filled in admirably for the icon Kane, as he has netted two goals in four games.
Today’s update guarantees Kane will not play next Tuesday against Dallas, but he could be due to return on December 27 as the team goes into Carolina, currently on a surge, sitting atop the Atlantic Division.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Similar to Kane, Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault will also return after the Christmas break, as shared by Eric Engels of Sportsnet. A steady presence over the last five years for the Habs as they entered their post-Carey Price era, Montembeault has struggled this season, with an .857 save percentage. The emergence of Jakub Dobes, along with high end prospect Jacob Fowler, who earned his first NHL action of late, has pushed Montembeault down slightly. The 29-year-old has made two appearances for AHL Laval on a conditioning loan, but will look to get back on track in 2026, as he is still signed through next season with Montreal.
- Sam Nestler, Dallas Stars Beat Writer, shared that Lian Bichsel is still at least one week away from any rehab work. Stars Head Coach Glen Gulatzan anticipates the defenseman to be out until around Olympics time in February. Based on the timeline, Bischel will likely return post-Olympic break, assuming the team eases him back into action. In early December, Bichsel was designated as out for around six weeks, after an awkward leg injury sustained against Ottawa, which ended up requiring surgery. Like many other young blueliners, at 21, Bichsel is still working through the adjustment to the NHL game. Standing at 6’7”, he offers little offensively, but if able to progress in a sheltered third pairing role for now, the former first round pick could become a strong middle-pair shutdown option in the future.
Montreal Canadiens Recall Sammy Blais
The Montreal Canadiens announced today that forward Sammy Blais has been recalled from the club’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
The move appears to be a response to an injury suffered last night by veteran forward Jake Evans. Evans left the game with an apparent lower-body injury. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported last night that Evans would not travel with the team to Pittsburgh for their game tonight against the Penguins, and remains under evaluation. Per TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, the Canadiens placed Evans on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least a week.
By recalling Blais, the Canadiens have given themselves another forward to work with as they plot their response to Evans’ injury. The recent trade acquisition of veteran pivot Phillip Danault will certainly help the team absorb any Evans injury, though it is not clear at this time if Danault will be able to play in Pittsburgh.
Evans is currently slotted in as Montreal’s third-line center, playing in between Josh Anderson and Alexandre Texier. That figures to be where Danault will eventually slot in, but if he’s not able to play tonight, the Canadiens could shuffle their lines a little bit to make room for Blais since he is not a natural center.
The Canadiens have two natural pivots on their fourth line, veteran Joe Veleno and rookie Owen Beck. The Canadiens could move Beck to center for tonight’s game, put Blais on the wing in Beck’s spot, and then elevate Veleno to Evans’ position in the event Danault can’t play tonight.
Looking at this move from Blais’ perspective, this recall is his first chance to play for the Canadiens in the regular season. He signed a one-year, league-minimum one-way deal with Montreal over the summer, but didn’t make the Canadiens’ roster out of training camp. He was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and ended up scoring three points in eight games there before landing on waivers once again.
The Canadiens claimed Blais and, as the only team to do so, were able to send him down to the AHL, where he has remained until today.
Blais won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks last season and has a notable amount of championship experience. He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 as a member of the St. Louis Blues and scored some important goals for Canada at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships, winning a gold medal with his country. More recently, Blais scored nine points in nine games in the AHL for the Rocket en route to today’s recall.
Buffalo Sabres Hire Marc Bergevin, Josh Flynn
9:00 a.m.: The Sabres have now officially announced both additions. Flynn’s departure was also confirmed by Columbus, who in an official statement thanked Flynn for his service to the organization.
Kekäläinen issued a statement of his own regarding the additions, saying:
Both Marc Bergevin and Josh Flynn bring a wealth of unique experience and perspective, and I am excited to welcome them to the Buffalo Sabres organization. Adding both to an already strong group adds versatility and helps us continue to build a well-rounded hockey operations staff.
Marc has firsthand experience as an NHL general manager and a track record as a strong talent evaluator at the highest level. He will be invaluable as we continue to identify and develop talent throughout the organization. Josh’s strength lies within salary cap management, analytics, contract negotiations, and scouting. Having worked alongside him in Columbus for many years, I know that his attention to detail and nuanced understanding of league processes will help enhance how we support our broader organization.
8:05 a.m.: Things appear to be moving quickly in Buffalo. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported Sunday morning that the Sabres are hiring Flynn from the Blue Jackets. Flynn had been with Columbus since 2008, serving as assistant GM since 2019.
8:00 a.m.: The Buffalo Sabres are reportedly hiring Los Angeles Kings senior advisor Marc Bergevin to the role of associate general manager.
The move has not yet been officially announced. It was originally reported by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, whose reporting was corroborated by The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The Sabres are in the middle of a significant amount of turnover at key leadership positions in their hockey operations department. GM Kevyn Adams was replaced in his position by former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen.
In his first major move as GM, Kekäläinen fired associate GM Jason Karmanos, who also served as GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Today’s reporting makes it clear that Kekäläinen has already found the person who will replace Karmanos in that role.
In Bergevin, the Sabres have found another executive with a significant amount of high-level hockey operations leadership experience. Like Kekäläinen, Bergevin has significant previous experience as a GM in the NHL, serving as GM of the Montreal Canadiens for nearly a decade, from 2012 to 2021. Before his time in Montreal, Bergevin served in numerous roles with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning a Stanley Cup as director of player personnel in 2010.
Sabres owner Terry Pegula came under significant fire for the process of how he hired Adams, picking someone to serve as GM of the struggling Sabres who had no significant prior hockey operations experience.
The hire of Bergevin further underscores what appears to be a commitment from Pegula to going in the opposite direction with his next hires. The addition of Bergevin as one of the top lieutenants of Kekäläinen’s front office gives Buffalo a deeply experienced pairing of executives at the top of the organization.
Bergevin’s nearly decade-long run as Canadiens GM made him one of the league’s more recognizable executives, and his legacy in Montreal is still debated. In some respects, his tenure was an undeniably successful one. The Canadiens instantly rebounded from a poor 2011-12 campaign to win the Northeast Division in his first season there.
Montreal reached the playoffs in four of his first five seasons as GM, even making a run to the Eastern Conference Final before an injury to star netminder Carey Price cost them a chance at seriously challenging the New York Rangers for the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Bergevin’s Canadiens struggled in the latter period of the 2010s, but ultimately returned to the playoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 Canadiens went on a dramatic run to the Stanley Cup Final, winning the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl before losing the Stanley Cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was the Canadiens’ first trip to the Final since their victory in 1993.
Montreal fired Bergevin early in the following season as the Canadiens endured one of the worst starts to a season in franchise history. Bergevin was credited in Montreal with acting boldly and creatively to try to solve his team’s problems, an approach perhaps no better illustrated by his attempt to offer sheet Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho, or his franchise-altering trade of star defenseman P.K. Subban for future Hall of Famer Shea Weber.
Bergevin made numerous transactions that paid significant dividends for the Canadiens, and one could make the argument that he “won” far more trades than he “lost.” His tenure was littered with savvy moves, such as when he acquired future captain Nick Suzuki (among other assets) in a trade for Max Pacioretty, acquired Phillip Danault and the pick that became Alexander Romanov for two rental wingers in Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise; or when in January 2020, he traded a fourth-round pick for Marco Scandella, only to flip Scandella a few months later and receive a second-round pick (and a fourth-rounder) in return.
But with those big moves, many of which worked out for Montreal, also come a few high-profile mistakes. His major free agent signing of Karl Alzner was nothing short of a disaster, and his move to trade Mikhail Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin did not age well.
Bergevin also came under fire later in his tenure as GM for reportedly failing to “modernize” the Canadiens’ hockey operations department. The team reportedly lagged behind its peers in terms of the modernization, as Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported in 2022 that the Canadiens did not have an in-house analytics department or at the time employ a dedicated skills coach.
From the Sabres’ perspective, the positives and negatives of Bergevin’s Canadiens tenure aren’t hugely relevant. What matters most is what Bergevin will be able to bring to Buffalo in his capacity as associate GM, and the key thing he’ll offer Kekäläinen is an immense amount of high-level hockey operations decision-making experience.
Kekäläinen’s work is far from over, as The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported yesterday that the Sabres requested permission from Columbus to speak with assistant GM Josh Flynn, someone Kekäläinen worked closely with during his days running the Blue Jackets. According to LeBrun, permission was granted.
Flynn’s background is specifically within hockey administration, and in Columbus, Flynn is responsible for leading “salary cap management” and “contract negotiation,” according to his listing on the team website.
After firing Karmanos, the Sabres have two remaining assistant GMs on the staff who are holdovers from the Adams regime: Jerry Forton, who oversees amateur scouting, and Mark Jakubowski, who per Fairburn “mostly handles contracts.” It remains to be seen if Kekäläinen’s plans for his front office involve any other departures, or only just additions such as Bergevin’s.
There is no clarity at this time as to what major responsibilities Bergevin will hold in the Sabres front office. Karmanos’ significant responsibility was building and managing the AHL’s Americans, and it’s unclear whether Bergevin will directly take on that role.
Photos courtesy of Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Injury Notes: Evans, Kleven, Samoskevich
The Montreal Canadiens lost an impact center in Saturday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jake Evans left the game partway through after his knee was awkwardly hit by Pittsburgh’s Justin Brazeau. He promptly left the game and didn’t return.
Evans will move forward with a questionable tag, while Canadiens fans hold their breath hoping the knee-to-knee collission doesn’t result in a long-term absence. The 29 year old has served an important depth role for Montreal through the first half of the year. He has racked up 10 points, split evenly, and a minus-13 through 33 appearances while averaging third-line minutes. Evans scored a career-high 13 goals and 36 points last season – but generally hasn’t been one to rack up the scoring. He’s instead found impact with a strong, physical play and consistent lineup presence. He has only missed one game since 2023 – a streak that could change with this latest injury.
More injury updates from around the league:
- Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven left the team’s win over the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. The injury occured on an awkward fall against the boards, after getting his foot swept out from under him. He has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins, head coach Travis Green told TSN’s Claire Hanna. Kleven has four assists and a minus-12 in 31 games this season. He has offered stout depth for the Senators, and will be replaced by Jordan Spence in the short-term.
- Ahead of Saturday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Florida Panthers announced that forward Mackie Samoskevich is day-to-day with a lower-body injury sustained on Friday, per NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. Samoskevich has 17 points and a minus-four in 34 games this season, operating from a third-line role. He’s been on a hot streak as of late, with three points in his last five games. That run will halt for the time being, while Florida turns towards Jack Studnicka to fill Samoskevich’s hole in the lineup.
Canadiens Win Big In Re-Acquisition Of Phillip Danault
The hockey world was graced with a mini Trade Deadline in the late hours of Friday, the eve of a one-week trade freeze that went into effect on Saturday. There were only two moves, both swapping draft picks for roster players, but for the Montreal Canadiens this mini Deadline could be one to remember. They won a sweepstakes for Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault – a strong, veteran center who they were able to land at a fairly negligible price.
The Canadiens only gave up a 2026 second-round pick in exchange for Danault. It was one of two second-rounders Montreal held in next year’s draft. The other originally belonged to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who sit dead last in the Metropolitan Division through the first two months of the season. Their pick could end up close to the first round – unless their Friday trade turns things around – while Montreal’s own pick could land near the other end of the second-round.
Another pick moved will mean just a bit more space for Montreal’s current prospects to find their ways. The Canadiens sit in playoff position despite carrying the youngest roster in the league this season. They’ve received major impacts from young players like Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and Oliver Kapanen. Rookies Jacob Fowler, Adam Engstrom, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj; with even more top prospects, like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky, soon behind them. The Canadiens won’t have the space to continue adding multiple top draft picks to the shelves every season.
Instead, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes leveraged the surplus value to acquire what should be a great lineup piece. Danault has struggled to score this season. He scored five points, all assists, in 30 games on a Kings offense that has scored the second-fewest goals in the league so far. But the 32-year-old centerman has managed back-to-back seasons with 22 goals over the last two years. He boasts a career-high of 54 points, set in the 2022-23 season, his second year with the Kings. On top of commendable scoring, Danault posted a positive plus-minus in four of his five years in Los Angeles – fortifying a reputation as one of the league’s better, and more reliable, defensive-centers.
Before his veteran days in L.A., Danault carved out his first NHL roles in the Canadiens’ roster. He was originally a first-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks but joined Montreal in a move that worked out tremendously well for the Canadiens. They acquired Danault and the draft pick used to select Alexander Romanov in exchange for sending Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise to the Blackhakws. Danault was an immediate impact for Montreal, scoring 40 points and playing in all 82 games during his rookie season in 2016-17. He averaged third-line minutes in his first year and grew into a stout second-line role over the next four seasons.
Danault ended his first tenure with the Canadiens with a top-10 finish in Selke Trophy voting in three consecutive seasons. He had one more top-10 finish, and two more seasons receiving votes, in five years with the Kings.
Reliable defensive-centers often have a more level aging curve than their high-scoring counterparts. Danault has struggled to find his offense in L.A. but should look much more at home in a Canadiens’ offense that plays with much more pace. Montreal already wields a Selke Trophy-hopeful in top-line center Nick Suzuki. Now, they’ll fortify their two-way game even more with Danault, which should provide a stable backing for Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky to focus on their scoring, and rookie Kapanen to continue easing into a role.
More than the stability, and surefire penalty killing role, that he’ll offer the lineup – Danault could be invaluable as Montreal looks to promote more star prospects to the NHL. University of Michigan star Hage has improved in every season and seems close to breaking into the pro flight, but there’s no doubt that he’ll face a tough physical challenge once he gets there.
With Danault’s addition, Montreal can be confident in their depth down the middle for the foreseeable future. Suzuki will continue in his top role, while a mix of Kapanen and Danault hold down the middle lines, until Hage, Beck, and Aatos Koivu are ready to carry on the next era of Canadiens hockey. Montreal was able to secure that short-and-long-term security at the cost of their third-most valuable pick next year. It’s a shrewd acquisition that could prove to be an X-factor as Montreal chases their second-straight postseason berth.
Photo courtesy of Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports.
Canadiens Place Kaiden Guhle And Kirby Dach On LTIR
When the Canadiens acquired Phillip Danault a little before the holiday roster freeze, they added a $5.5MM price tag to their books. Even after assigning Jared Davidson to the minors, they still weren’t cap-compliant. As a result, GM Kent Hughes revealed during his media availability today (video link) that the team has placed defenseman Kaiden Guhle and center Kirby Dach on LTIR.
Guhle has been out of the lineup since mid-October due to an adductor injury. The original plan was to simply rehab it but after returning to the ice a few weeks later as he tried to work his way back to full health, the decision was made to have the surgery. The recovery timeline for that procedure is eight to ten weeks, meaning he’s still four to six weeks away from returning. Guhle has averaged over 20 minutes a night of playing time in each of his first three NHL seasons and, when healthy, is a top-four fixture on Montreal’s back end.
As for Dach, he has missed the last month after sustaining a fractured foot. The initial recovery timeline was six to eight weeks and it appears he’s on track as he has resumed skating. Hughes indicated that the 24-year-old won’t be back before the holiday break but shouldn’t be out much longer than that. Dach has five goals and two assists in 15 games this season, his last one before becoming a restricted free agent with a $4MM qualifying offer and arbitration rights next offseason.
With the two placements, Montreal now has around $2.5MM in its LTIR pool, per PuckPedia. That gives them ample room to afford recalls if more injuries strike in the short term. Meanwhile, if they still need LTIR room when Dach returns, they can transfer either Patrik Laine or Alex Newhook on there; both are out for multiple months as well.
Matheson Returns From Upper-Body Injury
- The Canadiens will get a boost to their back end tonight as they begin a home-and-home set with Pittsburgh. The team announced that Mike Matheson will return to the lineup after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury, taking the place of Jayden Struble who will be a healthy scratch. Matheson, who signed a five-year, $30MM extension late last month, has four goals and 12 assists in 32 games this season while averaging nearly 25 minutes per game of ice time.
Montreal Canadiens Reassign Jared Davidson
After acquiring Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings yesterday evening, the Montreal Canadiens had one extra player on their active roster. To return to compliance, the Canadiens announced that they’ve assigned forward Jared Davidson to the AHL’s Laval Rocket.
Davidson, 23, is in his third professional season and is 15 games away from registering his rookie campaign in the NHL. The native of Edmonton, AB, was drafted by Montreal with the 130th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft.
After concluding his major junior career with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, Davidson joined AHL Laval for the 2023-24 season. He finished 18th on the team in scoring but ninth in goal-scoring with 11 goals and 16 points in 38 games.
He came into his own last season and elevated his status to being a legitimate prospect for Montreal. Davidson scored 24 goals and 45 points in 69 games for the Rocket last year with a +25 rating. He finished second on the team in goal-scoring and third in total output, while also adding two goals and four points in 13 postseason contests as Laval reached the Eastern Conference Final.
His start to the 2025-26 campaign made him an obvious choice to replace Alex Newhook once he landed on the injured reserve in mid-November. He remains tied for sixth on the Rocket in scoring with nine goals and 11 points in 13 games. Unfortunately, that offensive success didn’t translate to his brief time with the Canadiens, as he registered only one assist in 10 contests.
Still, Davidson was extremely limited in his usage, averaging 8:43 of ice time per night. Additionally, he’s been a healthy scratch for seven contests. Regardless, his 18 hits show he’s unafraid to get involved physically, and should remain a prime recall candidate if the Canadiens run into injury trouble again.
Canadiens Acquire Phillip Danault
A familiar face has returned to Montreal, as the Canadiens have announced that they have acquired Kings forward Phillip Danault in exchange for the Blue Jackets’ 2026 second-round pick.
Los Angeles finds a new home for Danault, just an hour before the holiday roster freeze kicks in. The Kings had been examining trade options for the veteran middleman over the past few weeks amid one of the more difficult offensive stretches of his career. In 30 games this season, he’s yet to score a goal and has only mustered five assists.
Defensive acumen was always the highlight of the 32-year-old’s game, though. That hasn’t trailed off at all, with the 6’1″ pivot still managing a +3 rating in tough deployment despite the lack of offensive production going through him on the ice thus far. The paucity of goal-scoring also shouldn’t be conflated with a lack of trying. He’s averaging 2.93 shot attempts per game, slightly below his career average but far from a career-low.
The Kings were left with something of an excess of down-the-middle depth, too. Moving Quinton Byfield back to center had shifted Danault to a third-line role at even strength after shouldering duties as L.A.’s second-line center behind Anže Kopitar ever since his arrival in Hollywood in free agency in 2021. The Habs, who have long been looking to add an impact top-nine center as their rebuild draws to a close, were in even more dire need of help down the middle after losing center options Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook to injuries.
They won’t find the offensive needle-mover they were looking for in Danault, but he’s still a meaningful upgrade in the No. 2 slot behind captain Nick Suzuki over rookie Oliver Kapanen, at least in terms of two-way play. Assuming he is deployed there by head coach Martin St. Louis and gets extensive playing time with Calder Trophy candidate Ivan Demidov, Danault’s point production should come back alive.
Danault’s inclusion should also provide a meaningful boost to the Habs’ underlying numbers. Kapanen and Demidov have controlled 49.1% of expected goals with Newhook on their left flank and a horrid 38% with Juraj Slafkovsky in that slot at 5-on-5 this season. Danault hasn’t recorded a sub-50 xGF% since his rookie season, split between Chicago and Montreal back in 2015-16.
Aside from the obvious fit, as underscored by the Habs’ reported interest, it’s a feel-good story to reunite Montreal with its top center during their last deep playoff run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. That was the last of Danault’s six seasons in Montreal during his first run there, often used as their top-line anchor alongside Brendan Gallagher, including a career-high 41 assists in the 2018-19 season. He was top 10 in Selke Trophy voting in each of his final three seasons for the Habs and recorded 194 points in 360 games for them.
He’s now set to add to that total as the Habs only need to part ways with one of two second-rounders they were ticketed to hold in next year’s draft. They retain their own selection, parting ways with a pick they acquired from Columbus in the Patrik Laine deal.
The Kings won’t be enthused with the return. Danault is cost-controlled through next season at $5.5MM, and L.A. was hoping to make any trade a player-for-player swap rather than taking back futures. Nonetheless, it was becoming clear the Kings wanted a quick resolution, short of Danault outright asking for a trade, giving themselves time to flip the pick for a replacement on the other side of the roster freeze if they so choose.
PHR’s Josh Erickson contributed significantly to this article.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Canadiens, Devils, Mammoth Among Teams With Interest In Phillip Danault
The Canadiens, Devils, and Mammoth are among the teams that have interest in making a deal for Kings center Phillip Danault, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports.
Montreal has long been active in the market for a second-line center, a pursuit that only intensified after long-term hopeful Alex Newhook had ankle surgery, knocking him out until March. Danault wouldn’t back nearly as much offensive punch as some other candidates, but he’s a familiar option – playing 360 games for the Habs between 2016 and 2021 as one of the most suffocating matchup centers in the league. His comfort level in a top-six support role, averaging at least 16 minutes per game for nine consecutive seasons, makes him a natural fit even as his scoring has dried up.
Danault’s contract, which expires after next season and carries a $5.5MM cap hit, won’t be an obstacle for them or most other teams. The Kings will almost certainly be taking money back in the deal as they seek rostered talent in return for Danault, with LeBrun reporting they’re unwilling to flip him for draft picks or futures.
His putrid scoring line this season, notching just five assists in 30 games with no goals, is bound to scare at least a few center-needy teams off. He’s still averaging a respectable 1.40 shots on goal per game, though, and the Kings have finished at a woeful 7.0% clip with him on the ice at 5-on-5. Some positive regression is bound to occur, particularly with the 32-year-old notching at least 40 points in each of his first four seasons with Los Angeles.
While that offensive falloff and his minutes being cut due to Quinton Byfield‘s move back to center have him looking for a change of scenery, his advanced numbers still remain some of the best on the Kings. He’s managed a +3 rating despite the lack of offensive production while receiving primarily defensive zone starts at even strength. No L.A. forward has been on the ice for fewer shots per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 than Danault at 23.9.
That makes the Devils’ interest in him likely more than just a top-six stopgap while Jack Hughes continues his rehab from a hand injury. When Hughes returns in the coming weeks, Danault would slot in as New Jersey’s third-line pivot behind Hughes and fellow Selke Trophy candidate Nico Hischier while also serving as one of their top penalty killers. It wouldn’t amount to a significant change in role compared to what Danault’s seeing now in L.A., but with only a 10-team no-trade list as part of his deal, he doesn’t have much say in the matter.
Still, he would appear as more of a redundancy behind Hischier than another scoring winger, presumably a higher priority for the Devils as their offense has slipped into the bottom half of the league amid a rough post-Thanksgiving stretch. Weaponizing their already limited cap space on Danault wouldn’t offer a truly meaningful upgrade to their top nine when healthy, especially with their new-look third line of Arseny Gritsyuk, Cody Glass, and Connor Brown posting spectacular results earlier this year.
Like New Jersey, the Mammoth have a short-term need down the middle with Logan Cooley out of commission until February. They have a younger, cheaper, in-house option with a similar archetype to Danault in Barrett Hayton. While he’s also had some offensive struggles this season, he’s still contributed more points than Danault (a 4-3–7 scoring line in 31 games) and is coming off a 20-goal year. He’s struggled in the faceoff dot at 47.8%, though, indicating they may be planning on shifting him to the wing if they do pick up Danault once Cooley is back in the fold.
Image courtesy of David Gonzales-Imagn Images.