Overview
- The trade was completed late Friday just before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze took effect.
- Los Angeles retained no salary and cleared Danault’s $5.5 million cap hit, boosting its cap space to about $9 million.
- The draft pick going to the Kings is Columbus’ 2026 second-round selection.
- Danault, 32, returns on a contract with a $5.5 million AAV and two seasons remaining, and he has zero goals and five assists in 30 games after missing recent games due to illness.
- Montreal targeted Danault to stabilize its center depth and reduce Nick Suzuki’s load while Dach and Newhook recover.