After participating in the Blackhawks' training camp in September 2011,[9] Danault rejoined the QMJHL ranks for the 2011–12 season.[10] Recording 18 points through his first 19 games, he was selected to represent Team QMJHL in the 2011 Subway Super Series.[11] Danault ultimately finished the season setting new career-highs with 53 assists and 71 points through 62 contests. Upon elimination from the President's Cup playoffs, Danault joined the Blackhawks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs in March 2012.[12] Collectively, he tallied two assists and ten penalty minutes over his seven-game stint with the IceHogs.[13]
Midway through the ensuing 2012–13 season, Danault was traded to the Moncton Wildcats in exchange for forward Gabriel Gagné and various draft picks.[14] Upon joining the team, he was immediately placed on their top line with Dmitrij Jaškin and Ivan Barbashev.[15] In their first eight games together, the trio combined for 22 goals.[16] After the Wildcats were eliminated from the 2013 postseason, Danault was again reassigned to Rockford for the remainder of the AHL season.[17]
Attending training camp with the Blackhawks in September 2013,[18] Danault was reassigned to the AHL for the 2013–14 season.[19] While often playing lower in the IceHogs' lineup, he recorded six goals and 20 assists over the course of his first full professional campaign.[20]
Following a strong performance in the Blackhawks' 2014 Rookie Tournament held in London, Ontario,[21] where he scored three goals over his first two games,[22] Danault earned a spot in preseason action, centering a line which included Dennis Rasmussen and Ryan Hartman[23] before rejoining Rockford to begin the 2014–15 season.[24] However, as a result of numerous injuries to the Chicago lineup, Danault was recalled by the team on November 21,[25] and he made his NHL debut the following night against the Edmonton Oilers.[26] At the time of his recall, Danault had recorded three goals and seven assists in 14 games with the IceHogs.[25] He played in one more game following his debut before being returned to the AHL on November 24.[27] Danault finished the regular season with 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points through 70 games[1] despite later revelation that he had played most of this time with a torn labrum.[28]
Initially expected to miss four months to recover from offseason surgery in August 2015,[29] Danault returned to the IceHogs lineup quicker than anticipated.[28] After appearing in six games with the IceHogs by mid-December, he was recalled to the NHL level,[28] and registered his first NHL point with an assist on a goal scored by teammate Andrew Shaw in a 4–3 win against the San Jose Sharks on December 20.[30] A few weeks later, he scored his first career NHL goal on January 8, 2016, in a 3–1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.[31]
Montreal Canadiens (2016–2021)
Tallying five points through 30 games to begin the 2015–16 season with the Blackhawks, Danault was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, along with Chicago's second-round pick in the 2018 NHL entry draft, in exchange for forwards Dale Weise and Tomáš Fleischmann on February 26, 2016.[32] He appeared in an additional 21 games with the Canadiens and recorded three goals and two assists over that span.[1] That July, Danault was signed to a two-year contract extension by the team.[33][34]
On January 13, 2018, during a game against the Boston Bruins, Danault was hit in the head by a shot from defenceman Zdeno Chára and remained motionless on the ice for several minutes.[35] Although stretchered off the ice and transported to hospital, Danault was only kept overnight for observation and was subsequently released to rest at home.[36] Danault later agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Canadiens carrying an average annual value of $3.08 million.[37][38]
Concluding the 2018–19 season with a career-high 53 points, including his first career NHL hat-trick in a 4–3 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights on December 20,[39] Danault placed seventh in votes for Frank J. Selke Trophy consideration, awarded to the best defensive forward league wide.[40]
In advance of the 2020–21 season, the final year of his contract, Danault and team general manager Marc Bergevin were unable to reach terms on a new extension, reportedly due to disagreements over the former's future role on the team with younger centres such as Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi progressing in the organization.[41] During the ensuing pandemic-shortened regular season, Danault posted five goals and 24 points across 53 games, and once again finished top-10 in Selke Trophy voting. He then distinguished himself during his team's unexpected run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, their first championship series appearance since 1993, where they were ultimately defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. Danault was credited with a strong defensive performance against opposing top forwards during the postseason.[42][43]
Los Angeles Kings (2021–2025)
Danault with the Kings in the 2024–25 season.
After becoming an unrestricted free agent, Danault signed a six-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 28, 2021.[44] He finished the 2021–22 season with a career-high 27 goals,[1] en route to helping them clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2018.[45] Facing off against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs,[46] Danault scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period of the series opener to lead the Kings to a 4–3 win.[47] Although subject to a head-butt by Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse in the penultimate matchup, Danault staved off injury and helped push the Oilers to a winner-take-all game 7.[48] Despite this, the Kings were shutout by the Oilers in the decisive game and failed to advance.[49] For his part, Danault finished the opening series with three goals and two assists through seven games,[1] and was recognized with numerous team, fan and local media honours.[50]
On March 9, 2023, Danault scored his 99th and 100th NHL goals in a 5–2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.[51] At the conclusion of the regular season, Danault received the Daryl Evans Youth Hockey Service Award for his role in the Kings' Learn-to-Play programming.[52]
On March 3, 2024, Danault recorded his second career hat-trick in a 5–1 win against the New Jersey Devils.[53]
The 2025–26 season brought offensive struggles for Danault, who failed to score a goal in his first 30 games with the Kings, and only managed five assists in the same span.[54] By early December 2025, reports circulated that he had requested a trade, and that this might occur prior to the league's trade freeze over the Christmas holidays.[55][56]
Return to Montreal (2025–present)
On December 19, 2025, the Kings traded Danault back to the Canadiens in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.[57]
Danault married his longtime girlfriend, fellow Québécois Marie-Pierre Fortin, in their home province during the 2018 offseason.[66] The couple has two children: a son and a daughter.[67]
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