Chicago Blackhawks: 3 Montreal Canadiens free agents to consider
24. player. 152. . C. Montreal Canadiens. Phillip Danault
The Chicago Blackhawks should have never let Phillip Danault go in the first place.
Phillip Danault was a Chicago Blackhawks player once upon a time. The Hawks traded him to Montreal in one of the worst trades the team has had in the modern era. The fact that it is only the third or fourth worst trade that Stan Bowman has made tells you everything that you need to know about him. Now, Danault is one of the best two-way centermen in the NHL.
Danault came in sixth place for the Selke Trophy for two years in a row now and came in 7th the year before that. His ability to create offense is pretty good and his ability to play defense is outstanding. He would have been a perfect player on the Blackhawks over the past few years but it was all for not. Now, at 28 years old, he could be brought back.
He is a free agent at the end of the month unless he resigns with the Montreal Canadiens before that point. If the Hawks, for better or worse, think that they have a chance to compete in 2021-22, they should consider signing Danault.
He would be the team’s perfect second-line center. Even if Kirby Dach takes the next step, having both of them with Jonathan Toews would make them very deep down the middle. Danault should be considered as one of the top NHL Free agents right now.