Is a Danault Reunion on the Horizon?
Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff joined TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked about the potential of Philip Danault being acquired by the Montreal Canadiens to add as a depth center.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Edmonton Oilers
Host: “So Anthony, if we circle back here to the Montreal Canadiens, everybody’s been saying for a while, the Canadiens need a 2C. They need a 2c they need a 2c and I don’t necessarily disagree, but I also think maybe a lot of people here are undervaluing Oliver Kapanen and his ability to play on that second line with Ivan Demidov. I mean, he’s got eight goals on the year. It’s not like he’s been a black hole of offense.
And I’ve heard that the LA Kings are potentially shopping Phillip Danault around. Would that make sense for Montreal to get a center, not necessarily a 2C, but again get another center to help shore up that position? Let Kapanen continue in that second-line role, and bring Danault back home, where he had a lot of success.”
Anthony Di Marco: “Look guys like every team is kind of looking for centerman right now, like you just can’t find them. And I think absolutely that would not be a bad idea to have Kapanen to play on that second line, continue his chemistry with Demidov, and get some insulation further down the lineup with a guy like Phil Danualt.
And if you have a quality third-line center like Danault that could bump up the play and support a Kapanen, it inherently benefits the latter as well. And I mean, you look at former Montreal Canadien Christian Dvorak with Philadelphia. Now, I think his career high in points was 38, going back to his time with Arizona. If I’m not mistaken, you guys could agree that he was a quality third-line center with the Canadiens, but nothing more than that.
He has effectively been the Flyers’ 1c at times, alongside Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny. Dvorak is on pace for a 51-point season. Now, this is not to say that Dvorak is a top line center or even a second-line center, but I think sometimes it’s all about fit and Dvorak, right now, in my mind, is playing like a half decent.
NHL Rumors: Senators, Kings, Canadiens, Blues, Oilers, and Sherwood
In a similar case of Kapanen, maybe stand-alone, decent, bad, but given the chemistry they found with Demidov, he has performed it at this point. But sometimes you just got to make do with what you have. And the fact of the matter is, guys, the Canadiens probably aren’t going to find a true, authentic second-line center.”
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