Phillip Danault on Matching Up Against Connor McDavid: I Live for These Matchups

Phillip Danault has emerged as a premier defensive center in the NHL & not at the cost of offensive production. He has had a tremendous campaign in LA & has the Kings in the playoffs against heavily stacked odds.

In their matchup against the Oilers, Danault will be charged with checking the NHL's current Art Ross winner, Connor McDavid. Rather than hesitate, Danault relishes the opportunity to halt the league's most dynamic offensive force.

In Pierre LeBrun's latest piece for The Athletic, Danault expressed that he lives for these challenges.

The article probed Vegas' Head Coach Pete Deboer on what makes Danault so formidable; his face-offs & ability to retrieve pucks will be critical against Edmonton's offensive weapons, he said.

It's quite the matchup. Arguably the NHL's best two offensive centers (McDavid, Draisaitl) versus two of the best defensive centers (Kopitar, Danault). If the latter can dominate the face-off circle, and the Kings are able to stay 5v5 & avoid facing the Oilers' powerplay this is going to be one interesting series.

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