The National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Thursday that Los Angeles Kings forward Phillip Danault has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, for slashing Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton.
The incident occurred at 4:20 of the second period; Danault was not penalized for his misdeed. He picked up an assist and had four shots on goal in his season debut.
This is not the first time that Danault has faced disciplinary action. In a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, Danault slew-footed Lightning forward Brayden Point, causing a scene in the instance. Danault was fined $5,000 for his actions that game.
During the 2022-23 campaign, the 30-year-old set a career-high 18 goals and 36 assists for 54 points in 82 games, he ranked fifth among Kings’ skaters. He added five points in six Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Kings were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.
The Victoriaville, Quebec product was initially drafted No. 26 overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. Prior to his pro career, he spent four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats. He capped off his major junior career with 251 points in 243 games.
Danault made his NHL debut in 2014-15, appearing in two games. He never really got the full taste of the NHL with the Blackhawks. Subsequently, he found himself on the Montreal Canadiens, where he would spend six seasons and helped the Habs on their miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020-21. In 360 games with the Habs, Danault compiled 54 goals and 140 assists for 194 points.
During the summer of 2021, Danault signed a six-year, $33 million contract that has an average annual value of $5.5 million. He is currently in year three of the contract, which runs through 2026-27, where Danault will find himself as an unrestricted free agent.
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