Veteran center Phillip Danault is going into his fifth season with the Los Angeles Kings for the 2025-26 campaign this fall. Kings fans know what they're getting from Danault, after he provided a steady two-way presence for the forward group on defense for the past four seasons in LA.
Despite Danault scoring just eight goals and 43 points, the lowest goal and point scoring total of any season in his four years with the Kings (since 2021-22), the deeper contextual stats show his true value from this past season for LA. Danault led the Kings in even-strength assists (31) and ranked among the top half of the team's forwards in expected goals (15.3).
Essentially, Danault was expected to score roughly twice as many goals for the Kings in the regular season as he did last year.
Phillip Danault 2024-25 Los Angeles Kings player season recap
2024-25 season stats: 80 games played, 8 goals, 35 assists, 43 points, +20
2024-25 advanced stats: 6.6 shooting %, 9.2 5-on-5 shooting %, 1.8 points/60, 3.5 point shares, 1.0 WAR
2024-25 possession metrics (with Kings): 56.4 CF%, 56.6 SCF%, 100.0 PDO, 56.8 HDCF%
It would be nice to see Danault get back to being a consistent 15 or 20-goal scorer for the Kings soon. Danault is still a big part of the 5-on-5 middle or bottom-six forward group for the Kings.
The drop in total production for Danault last season didn't mean that his value to the team wasn't very important on both sides of the ice for the Kings in the 2024-25 campaign. Danault was frequently used on the penalty kill for head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings. He led all Kings' forwards in average time on the ice shorthanded for the Kings the last regular season.
Danault proved to be a critical facilitator and offensive producer for the Kings forward group in the playoffs this past spring. He scored two goals and eight assists in six games played in the Kings' first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
Rink Royalty 2024-25 season grade for Phillip Danault: B-
Phillip Danault 2025-26 Los Angeles Kings season preview
We should expect Hiller and the Kings to utilize Danault as the third-line center for the forward group going into the upcoming 2025-26 season. He can center the third line for the Kings and Hiller this upcoming season, playing alongside wingers Warren Foegele and either Corey Perry or Trevor Moore.
Going into his fifth season with the Kings, Danault will be a critical penalty killer and continue to contribute at center for the power play for the forward group.