New haircut, confidence drive Danault’s success
It’s been a little more difficult to recognize the Canadiens’ Phillip Danault on the ice during recent games since he cut the long, scraggly hair that used to hang out from under his Bauer helmet.
“I’m superstitious, so I didn’t want to cut it before Christmas," Danault said after the Canadiens’ practised Sunday in Brossard. “We were winning a lot, so I didn’t want to cut it. I don’t like cutting my hair anyways.”
Danault’s fiancée, Marie-Pierre Fortin, helped set up a hair appointment for Danault and now he’s sporting a much more stylish, shorter look.
“I just decided to make it shorter and look more professional,” he said.
Danault is looking like a real pro on the ice this season, posting 9-1524 totals in 45 games to rank fifth in team scoring. The 23-year-old is a big reason why the Canadiens were able to post a 9-5-4 record during the 18 games Alex Galchenyuk missed between Dec. 6 and Jan. 12 with a knee injury. Danault filled in as the No. 1 centre.
During those 18 games, Danault posted 4-8-12 totals and didn’t look out of place between Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov. Danault played a season-high 20:16 during a 7-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 11 and scored two goals, including one on an end-to-end rush that has to be a candidate for the NHL’s Goal of the Year.
Danault has been a pleasant surprise for Canadiens fans after being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at last year’s NHL trade deadline in exchange for Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin also acquired a second-round pick at the 2018 NHL Draft in the deal, which is looking very one-sided at this point.
Weise has only five points in 41 games this season with Philadelphia after signing a four-year, US$9-million deal with the Flyers last summer, while Fleischmann is no longer in the NHL.
Danault is in the first season of a two-year, US$1.825-million deal.
One person who isn’t surprised by Danault’s performance is Bergevin, who was part of the Blackhawks’ management team when they selected the 6-foot-1, 193-pounder in the first round (26th overall) at the 2011 NHL Draft after he posted 2344-67 totals in 64 regular season games with the junior Victoriaville Tigres and added 5-10-15 totals in nine playoff games.
“He’s been a surprise to you guys, but not to us,” Bergevin told Chris Nilan on the former Canadien’s Off the Cuff show Tuesday afternoon on TSN Radio 690.
“We knew what we were getting. We knew he had a hip injury last year, he had surgery and didn’t start playing until I think December. If you look at the background of players who have injuries of that type, it usually takes a long time before they get back on track.
“I watched him play (junior) in Victoriaville,” the GM added. “He’s a very good young player. He’s a passionate kid and I think he’s just scratching the surface right now.”
Danault said he feels more a part of the Canadiens team this season with his expanded role. With Galchenyuk back in the lineup, Danault is now the No. 2 centre between Paul Byron and Andrew Shaw.
“The more you play, the better you feel,” said Danault, who is averaging 14:27 of ice time. “Overall, I think I have more confidence. I’ve got some poise with the puck, which I didn’t have at the beginning. You get in the NHL and it’s so fast because everybody’s good.
“I just want to help the team win some games and that’s what I’m doing … that’s what everybody’s doing right now,” he added.
The Canadiens were given the day off Tuesday, following a 1-0 loss Monday afternoon in Detroit. They’ll be back in action Wednesday when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., SNE, SNO, SN1, SNP, RDS, TSN Radio 690).
The Canadiens are in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 2712-6 record, nine points ahead of the second-place Boston Bruins and one point ahead of the Penguins (27-11-5) in the overall Eastern Conference standings.
This is an exciting time for Danault, who grew up in Victoriaville as a huge Canadiens fan. He got engaged to Fortin before the start of training camp and they ’ll marry in the summer of 2018. They have been dating for two years, but first met four years ago when they were living in the same duplex in Victoriaville and shared a landlord.
“We saw each other every day for two years,” Danault said. “It was destiny a bit.”
When asked if he feels different now with his new haircut, Danault flashed a big smile and said: “I think I’m flying more.”