LA Kings Turned Down Offer Of Established Secondary Scoring Center for Danault

The Los Angeles Kings were hoping to make a real 'hockey trade' for disgruntled veteran center Phillip Danault. They wanted, preferably, another center back in the deal. In the end, they sent Danault to the Montreal Canadiens for a second-round draft pick.

But there was an offer on the table from another team of an established young center who's been a viable secondary scorer on multiple occasions. The Kings turned it down.

David Pagnotta explained on Daily Faceoff's DFO Rundown on Monday why the Kings turned down the Carolina Hurricanes' offer of Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

I don't know the full parameters of the overall offer, but it included Jesperi Kotkaniemi. And LA decided they just weren't a fan of the term. He's got four years left after this season (with a $4.82M AAV). It's a management cap hit, but it's just the term. And not having a full understanding of the type of player that he could be with the Kings, they decided to pass on that and go for the draft pick instead.

Kotkaniemi's four remaining years on his deal scared off the Kings

The big left-shot center is defensively responsible, but his offense has been inconsistent. Despite this, he has averaged 13.5 goals and about 30 points per season in his first four years in Carolina. He's cracked double-digits in goals in five seasons in his seven full years in the NHL.

The big Finn was the No. 3 overall selection in the 2018 NHL Draft, and had a career year in his second season with the Canes, popping 18 goals and 43 points with a +10 rating—all personal bests. But after a couple of 12-goal seasons since then, he's slipped to just two goals and six points in 19 games in 2025-26, while he's been dealing with an ankle injury, and several healthy scratches.

The Hurricanes will have their sights set on much bigger targets than Danault, however, as the calendar turns. We learned that they were, in fact, the strongest runner-up suitor in the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes.