Danault has been imperious defensively in the last few playoffs, proving that he is certainly one of the best centers in the NHL on 200 feet of ice. Offensively, despite quieter playoffs performances, he is recognized as a player who can score between 40 and 50 points annually, which is perfect to support Anze Kopitar and guide the youngsters towards success.
By the way, Luc Robitaille, the Kings' president, just poured a ton of pressure on the Quebecer who has yet to play a game with the club:
"By adding one of the top five centers in the league like Phillip Danault, we really feel like we've made our team better. On the other hand, by banking on Phillip, we could give Kopitar more offensive minutes. He won't have to take every faceoff in our zone and play as much in shorthanded situations." - Robitaille
That's a lot of pressure, as is the contract itself, which adds a lot of tension, especially since Danault was slow to take off early in the season as his future contract seemed to bother him. However, he did have 24 points in 53 games, which isn't bad. In short, he was able to bounce back and silence the critics against him, showing that he can juggle with pressure.
