Danault Is Giving Montreal Exactly What It Wanted

Montreal did not bring Phillip Danault in for style points, and that is exactly why this fit has worked. He is providing the kind of dependable, detailed play teams always say they want until they actually have to pay for it. That is the quiet value of a trade that looks better over time than it did in the first week. The Canadiens needed a player who could steady things, and Danault is delivering the daily grind that coaches trust.