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Canadiens: Danault Looking for High Payday Following Impressive Season

By Scott Cowan

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 05: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Boston Bruins during the first period at the Bell Centre on November 5, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 5-4. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 05: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Boston Bruins during the first period at the Bell Centre on November 5, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 5-4. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens, Phillip Danault
TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 14: Phillip Danault Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

In his five years with the Montreal Canadiens, Danault has signed two separate bridge deals worth $912,500 and $3.083,333, respectively. Fresh off the two most productive campaigns of his career, he’ll inevitably be looking for a higher contract, and there are multiple examples across the NHL of what ballpark this could be in. Two-way forwards similar to Danault are becoming commonplace in the NHL and were hot-ticket items during the past few trade deadlines.

Former Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau was on pace for the best statistical season of his career this season, posting 40 points in 60 games before being dealt to the New York Islanders at this year’s trade deadline. Having been set to become a free agent this summer, the Islanders inked Pageau to a six-year deal worth $30 million, an average of $5 million per year.

Must Read. Rumour: Habs are exploring the trade market for Danault. light

Pageau struggled to stand out on the Senators during their peak years in the mid 2010’s and ran into injury troubles when the team’s performance began to slip. Now playing some of the best hockey of his career, Pageau fits perfectly into a depth focused Islanders team with a defence-first approach.

Another former Blackhawks first-rounder, Kevin Hayes, had been playing on consecutive one-year deals with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets at last season’s trade deadline. With an expiring contract and set to become a UFA, the Jets, in essence, traded the rights to Hayes to the Philadelphia Flyers, who inked him to a seven-year deal worth $50 million, with an average of $7.142 million per year.

Hayes served a key role this year for a Flyers team that, similar to New York, relied on their depth, and was the team’s leading scorer in the playoffs, with 13 points in 16 games.

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