Speculation: Philip Danault

[Junohockeyfan]

No interest in moving Brodin or Dumba for him. You want something around Greenway+? Sure. The problem is Montreal has no reason to move him for Greenway+. Fiala is obviously off the table, Kaprizov too, and we don't have any other wingers Montreal would be interested in.

I would have no problem using Danault as a 2C in a vacuum, because he's an upgrade on any of our centers. My problem is the cost to acquire him and the contract he's looking for, as well as the usage he seeks to get, is not worth us paying for him or giving to him. At this point, he is a piece that a team acquires if they're about one Danault away from a Cup, not to rely on him to be the sole top 6 center going forward. If we acquire Danault, we're in no different a position than Montreal has been all the years they've been using him as their 1C.

So what are your options moving forward? Obviously Danault is not an option as the Habs cannot afford to trade him. He is needed to insulate Suzuki / Kotkaniemi and is a go-to resource to neutralize other team's top lines. Its inconceivable that the Habs would trade Danault this offseason. Makes zero sense at this juncture.

Domi? He is available IMO. The irony of Domi is that he is a better C than he is a winger. And the Habs need him as a winger. But i don't see a trade moving forward with the Wild for Domi. We need a similar aged top-6 winger with size and you don't have that. Spare parts won't work as we have a bevy of picks / prospects in the works.

What is Minny to do?

 

[Bazeek]

So what are your options moving forward? Obviously Danault is not an option as the Habs cannot afford to trade him. He is needed to insulate Suzuki / Kotkaniemi and is a go-to resource to neutralize other team's top lines. Its inconceivable that the Habs would trade Danault this offseason. Makes zero sense at this juncture.

Domi? He is available IMO. The irony of Domi is that he is a better C than he is a winger. And the Habs need him as a winger. But i don't see a trade moving forward with the Wild for Domi. We need a similar aged top-6 winger with size and you don't have that. Spare parts won't work as we have a bevy of picks / prospects in the works.

What is Minny to do?

Talk to the other 29 teams.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Talk to the other 29 teams.

haha, probably a good starting point.

 

[nyhabsfan]

I think Danault has a higher trade value than Domi, especially if you can sign him to extention before trading him.

I would keep him until KK can prove he is a number 2 center.

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

I have no problem just waiting for the highest bidder is on Danault/Domi because there are teams looking for a 2C regardless of what HF thinks of them all it takes is one GM to pony up and MB will trade one of them. If you think other teams are looking to move a 2C list those teams then and what you would offer them because I see barely any 2Cs on the market let alone teams that do have 2Cs and have the prospects at center as good as Suzuki/KK to replace them.

Another thing if there were other centers available fans of the Wild/Rangers/Jackets/Buffalo/Jets and maybe Vegas/Arizona and maybe more would have put up threads by now seeking out these 2nd line centers. If 2nd line centers are so damn easy to trade for why hasn't any been traded yet? If Danault and Domi are 3rd rate centers like all you HF posters think they are why hasn't MB just dumped them for a package already? because maybe just maybe MB is working the trades out and is trying to get the best package for one of them. I know the hate MB gets is warranted(I hate him too) but one thing he does well is get value back in trades.

I think Habs fans and other fans need to just relax until the off season is over before judging any teams players value but one thing is for sure the only team to be making moves at the moment is Montreal and the off season hasn't even started yet.

 

[DC Comics]

Kapanen, Coyle, Norris, and Leddy are not as valuable when traded than Newhook/Byram are today. Coyle is the only reasonable one mentioned but even he is lagging. And besides, these players were not traded for a player like Danault, the argument is not to see if prospects get traded, the argument is to find recent comparables of them getting traded for a player like Danault which is very difficult to do.

The best arguments are Suzuki, Brannstrom, Forsberg, and Schenn, but these were for players obviously more valuable than Danault with the exception of Forsberg which is one of the trades that often gets brought up as the worst in recent memory.

It’s why Duchene was unable to snag Hanifin or Chabot, why Karlsson was unable to snag Heiskanen, and why McDonagh was unable to snag Sergachev, teams just don’t give up these kind of young players easily, and almost never give them up for someone like Danault.

If Montreal is expecting a Newhook, Caufield, Byram, Zegras, Cozens, or Podkolzin kind of player, it is my expectation that the fans will be really disappointed when he pulls a Hanzal return (Hanzal was thought of very similarly to Danault back when he was traded).

Hanzal was 30 when he was traded just before the NHL Trade deadline which normally included picks not players. Also, Hanzal reached 40 points 2 times in 10 years before the trade. He averaged more around 30-35 points. So Hanzal was not as good as Danault, older / pass his prime and traded at the TDL. Absolutely nothing compare to the situation here.

 

[DC Comics]

I think Danault has a higher trade value than Domi, especially if you can sign him to extention before trading him.

I would keep him until KK can prove he is a number 2 center.

Yup

 

[Eltuna]

Hanzal was 30 when he was traded just before the NHL Trade deadline which normally included picks not players. Also, Hanzal reached 40 points 2 times in 10 years before the trade. He averaged more around 30-35 points. So Hanzal was not as good as Danault, older / pass his prime and traded at the TDL. Absolutely nothing compare to the situation here.

Hanzal averaged a pace of 49 points in his last 5 years before being traded, his issue was never being able to stay healthy but his ppg was similar to Danault. They were both in their contract year when traded (if Danault is traded), and they were both considered elite 3Cs that are probably more like average 2Cs. Hanzal was also a 6.6 monster who was elite at faceoffs and had strong possession metrics.

I don’t understand how someone could think these aren’t comparable but then think his return might be comparable to a Pacioretty or Stone where a blue chip prospect comes back (not saying you think this but it has gotten brought up), Danault is obviously more comparable to a Hanzal or a Pageau than a Stone or Pacioretty, I’m confused as to why I’m even arguing so much about that.

 

[DC Comics]

Hanzal averaged a pace of 49 points in his last 5 years before being traded, his issue was never being able to stay healthy but his ppg was similar to Danault. They were both in their contract year when traded (if Danault is traded), and they were both considered elite 3Cs that are probably more like average 2Cs. Hanzal was also a 6.6 monster who was elite at faceoffs and had strong possession metrics.

I don’t understand how someone could think these aren’t comparable but then think his return might be comparable to a Pacioretty or Stone where a blue chip prospect comes back (not saying you think this but it has gotten brought up), Danault is obviously more comparable to a Hanzal or a Pageau than a Stone or Pacioretty, I’m confused as to why I’m even arguing so much about that.

Paces of 49 points? He reached 40 only twice and all others seasons, he barely played being injured almost every year. He had a reputation to be soft which affect his value. Je played only 1 season over 70 games in the last 10 years. Danault played over 70 games 3 times in the last 4. Hanzal didn't receive votes for Selke after 24 years of age and never received more than 24 votes. He didn't receive a single vote in the 5 years before he was trade. Danault received 85 votes last year and 175 this year. Hanzal was a damaged good when he was trade. Danault is at his prime.

 

[Eltuna]

Paces of 49 points? He reached 40 only twice and all others seasons, he barely played being injured almost every year. He had a reputation to be soft which affect his value. Je played only 1 season over 70 games in the last 10 years. Danault played over 70 games 3 times in the last 4. Hanzal didn't receive votes for Selke after 24 years of age and never received more than 24 votes. He didn't receive a single vote in the 5 years before he was trade. Danault received 85 votes last year and 175 this year. Hanzal was a damaged good when he was trade. Danault is at his prime.

Danault should have greater value for some of the reasons you stated (there are others that propel Hanzal up as well), but they are absolutely in the same tier of players.

Danault is not markedly better than Pageau, Hanzal, Hayes, Coleman, or Stastny (to WPG). That’s his value bracket, you might like him more than others, or even all on that list, but to me it is disingenuous to think he is in a completely different tier than those players or would return a blue chipper when none of them could (Schenn, Turris, ROR, Duchene, Karlsson, Hall, and McDonagh also could not return a teams best or second best prospect). All have been traded recently and all went for similar returns which is very likely what Danault will fetch if he is traded with maybe a bit of a sweetener (for example change Pageau’s 3rd rounder to a second 2nd rounder as I do believe he is better).

 

[Bazeek]

I have no problem just waiting for the highest bidder is on Danault/Domi because there are teams looking for a 2C regardless of what HF thinks of them all it takes is one GM to pony up and MB will trade one of them. If you think other teams are looking to move a 2C list those teams then and what you would offer them because I see barely any 2Cs on the market let alone teams that do have 2Cs and have the prospects at center as good as Suzuki/KK to replace them.

Another thing if there were other centers available fans of the Wild/Rangers/Jackets/Buffalo/Jets and maybe Vegas/Arizona and maybe more would have put up threads by now seeking out these 2nd line centers. If 2nd line centers are so damn easy to trade for why hasn't any been traded yet? If Danault and Domi are 3rd rate centers like all you HF posters think they are why hasn't MB just dumped them for a package already? because maybe just maybe MB is working the trades out and is trying to get the best package for one of them. I know the hate MB gets is warranted(I hate him too) but one thing he does well is get value back in trades.

I think Habs fans and other fans need to just relax until the off season is over before judging any teams players value but one thing is for sure the only team to be making moves at the moment is Montreal and the off season hasn't even started yet.

Guys that are likely on the market, or semi-available from teams looking to change things up:

Danault
Domi
Monahan
D Strome
R Strome
McCann
Gaudette

Now the range of quality among those players is obviously pretty wide and Danault would be at or near the top of my own list, personally, But as the fan of a team that's been looking for centers pretty much since it's inception, that's a better center market than I can remember seeing in a while now. I do think Bergevin can afford to be patient, but there are other options out there.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Guys that are likely on the market, or semi-available from teams looking to change things up:

Danault
Domi
Monahan
D Strome
R Strome
McCann
Gaudette

Now the range of quality among those players is obviously pretty wide and Danault would be at or near the top of my own list, personally, But as the fan of a team that's been looking for centers pretty much since it's inception, that's a better center market than I can remember seeing in a while now. I do think Bergevin can afford to be patient, but there are other options out there.

I don't think Danault is on the market. The speculation was only because he told the media that he wanted to go back to being a 2C. And he was right in that request and the Habs will re-establish him in that capacity.

 

[Bazeek]

I don't think Danault is on the market. The speculation was only because he told the media that he wanted to go back to being a 2C. And he was right in that request and the Habs will re-establish him in that capacity.

Danault is "on the market" like Brodin is: the team would probably like to retain his services, but he's a UFA so he has some say in the matter. If his contract demand is too high for Montreal or he doesn't like the role he's going to play going forward, he's going to walk. At that point the question for Bergevin is whether one more year of Danault is worth more than what he'd fetch in a trade.

Not saying they'll trade him, but until they get something in ink it's a distinct possibility. Especially when he's making public comments about his role and how it'll affect an extension.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Danault is "on the market" like Brodin is: the team would probably like to retain his services, but he's a UFA so he has some say in the matter. If his contract demand is too high for Montreal or he doesn't like the role he's going to play going forward, he's going to walk. At that point the question for Bergevin is whether one more year of Danault is worth more than what he'd fetch in a trade.

Not saying they'll trade him, but until they get something in ink it's a distinct possibility. Especially when he's making public comments about his role and how it'll affect an extension.

They can't "ink" him until halfway through next season. And they need him badly for the coming season.

 

[Bazeek]

They can't "ink" him until halfway through next season. And they need him badly for the coming season.

And that's all I'm saying: until they get something in ink, or at least hash out a potential deal, all options have to be on the table. That isn't to single out Danault as an exception; it's the same situation any team is in with expiring UFAs.

 

[Mike Dukarm]

I saw a lot of: Domi is better at center...

Domi is better at center because he want to play there and he didnt put the effort at LW. When he will realize he could be a 1st LW with Suzuki or KK for center, he will get a lot of icetime and pts.

At center this year, he didnt get the job done... he didnt get back for defensive duty.

So Domi will be 1st or 2nd LW for the Habs OR the 3rd Center at best with Habs OR he will be trade...

 

[Junohockeyfan]

And that's all I'm saying: until they get something in ink, or at least hash out a potential deal, all options have to be on the table. That isn't to single out Danault as an exception; it's the same situation any team is in with expiring UFAs.

I agree with your thinking. I think its a safe bet he will be a Hab next season. After that, all bets are off.

 

[Qwijibo]

They can't "ink" him until halfway through next season. And they need him badly for the coming season.

That only applies to a player on a 1 yr deal. They can re-sign him as soon as the season is done

 

[Junohockeyfan]

That only applies to a player on a 1 yr deal. They can re-sign him as soon as the season is done

That's good news! Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Runner77]

Obviously Danault is not an option as the Habs cannot afford to trade him. He is needed to insulate Suzuki / Kotkaniemi and is a go-to resource to neutralize other team's top lines. Its inconceivable that the Habs would trade Danault this offseason. Makes zero sense at this juncture.

May not make sense but neither do the Habs want to take the chance that he's going to walk at the end of the upcoming season, if he's not getting deployed the way he wants. Let's wait and see how it plays out before making absolute statements.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Danault is "on the market" like Brodin is: the team would probably like to retain his services, but he's a UFA so he has some say in the matter. If his contract demand is too high for Montreal or he doesn't like the role he's going to play going forward, he's going to walk. At that point the question for Bergevin is whether one more year of Danault is worth more than what he'd fetch in a trade.

Not saying they'll trade him, but until they get something in ink it's a distinct possibility. Especially when he's making public comments about his role and how it'll affect an extension.

Danault is not on the market. Any player can be traded though. Some Habs fans are over reacting to Danault's comment of him wanting to not just be a defensive center. Some think that because he said that, he will ask for $7M+ which is speculation, not fact. Even the Quebec media is all over that but that's their job... click bait articles.

Domi is being shopped though. That I am sure of.

No way the Habs trade our most mature center when Suzuki and KK are 21 and 20 next year.

 

[Whileee]

Yes. We value him very, very highly and for good reason.
Edit: forgot to specify this is with an agreed extension in place from the other team's end.

He might be "worth" a top-10 pick, but a 27 year old C that wants to leave because he can't crack the top 2 spots on a non-playoff team and is a UFA in a year isn't going to get a top-10 pick on the trade market. If that's the asking price, teams will likely just wait until the price goes down, or pick him up at the trade deadline.

Also, a team isn't likely to pay a premium for the extension. They are more likely to tell MTL that they'll trade for him with his current contract, and worry about the extension later. Danault isn't the type of player that gets a huge premium for an extension. He'll be looking for security in a long-term deal now, so teams will be quite confident that they can get a long-term deal negotiated.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

He might be "worth" a top-10 pick, but a 27 year old C that wants to leave because he can't crack the top 2 spots on a non-playoff team and is a UFA in a year isn't going to get a top-10 pick on the trade market. If that's the asking price, teams will likely just wait until the price goes down, or pick him up at the trade deadline.

Also, a team isn't likely to pay a premium for the extension. They are more likely to tell MTL that they'll trade for him with his current contract, and worry about the extension later. Danault isn't the type of player that gets a huge premium for an extension. He'll be looking for security in a long-term deal now, so teams will be quite confident that they can get a long-term deal negotiated.

i can see a team like buffalo paying the 8th overall for Danault if he his on the market,they dont need anymore draft picks they need to make the playoffs,Philip might not put up lots of points offensively but hes among the best defensively and GMs value that alot also

 

[Whileee]

i can see a team like buffalo paying the 8th overall for Danault if he his on the market,they dont need anymore draft picks they need to make the playoffs,Philip might not put up lots of points offensively but hes elite defensively and GMs value that alot also

Buffalo might pay considerably for Danault, but I can't see them or any team give the #8 overall pick for a player like Danault, especially given his contract circumstances. At this point, top-10 picks are too valuable. Buffalo needs much more than Danault to be a reliable playoff team, too. If he's so good that he vaults Buffalo into the playoffs, the Habs would be really, really bad without him. At what point do the Habs need to actually make the playoffs?

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think Danault has a higher trade value than Domi, especially if you can sign him to extention before trading him.

I would keep him until KK can prove he is a number 2 center.

I don't believe the Habs are going to trade Danault. Not with the other two centers being 20 and 21 next year and with guys like Weber, Price, Petry, Gallagher looking to move up the standings. Add management too... they don't have plans to do another re-set or re-tool.

If Danault is moved, there would have to be a major trade package and other moves that the Habs make. That's not probable. Possible but not probable