Kings trade Danault to Canadiens

The Los Angeles Kings traded forward Phillip Danault to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, the team announced.

The Kings will receive a second-round pick that was previously acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of the trade.

It's a reunion for Danault, who played for Montreal from 2016-21. He helped the Canadiens make a run to the Stanley Cup Final in '21 and established himself as one of the league's best defensive forwards, finishing in the top 10 in Selke Trophy voting three times before signing a six-year contract with the Kings.

In Los Angeles, Danault set a career high in goals (27) in 2021-22 and points (54) in 2022-23. The 32-year-old has posted only five assists through 30 appearances this season.

Danault, who's signed through 2026-27 with a $5.5-million cap hit, had a 10-team no-trade list prior to his move to Montreal.