E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Phillip Danault #44

By Eldon MacDonald

44. Phillip Danault - “Le Petit Tigre” - LW - Canada

Vitals: Size - 6’0”, 178 lb.; Shoots left; Born: 24-Feb-93 - Victoriaville, QC
Team: Victoriaville, QMJHL
2010-11 Stats: 64-23-44-67-59-(+17) + QMJHL playoffs 9-5-10-15-6-(+4)

Rankings:
18 - Craig Button's Top 30 of 8-Jun-11
28 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
31 - The Hockey News per TSN
32 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (27th North American skater)
39 - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts
39 - ISS per TSN
41 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
41 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
44 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
44 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
46 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
47 - Bob MacKenzie's January 2011 NHL Scouts Poll
48 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
Draft result:
26 - Chicago Black Hawks

Phillip Danault is a player with an average to slightly above average skill-set who has some fans and scouts going going ga-ga over him. Why is that? I don’t know for sure but I can give you a few hints.

1. Philip Danault is the poster boy of the franchise and a true Petit Tigre. Not only is he a home town kid, he is also the Captain at age17 and his father is the team’s public address announcer. Talk about local rink rat making good!!!

2. There are some players who just have that compete level, that aura of energy around them and the passion for the game that just sets them apart and then there is Philip Danault. In a game against the Memorial Cup champions to be, Saint John Sea Dogs, this year, Philip suffered an injury to his jaw. It was so severe that it resulted in a few lost teeth and required surgery. Philip had the surgery and returned to the game.

3. There are some players that coaches and scouts revere because of their exceptional work ethic and dedication to get better. Here is what Philip’s coach, Yannick Jean told NHL.com, “He'll bring work ethic, dedication and leadership. His passion for the game is unique because he's the most passionate kid I've ever coached. He plays with pride; he's not the type of kid who thinks he's better than the next guy, but he challenges himself to be as good if not better.”

4. Philip Danault won The Guy-Carbonneau trophy for best defensive forward in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

5. Philip Danault led his team to the second round of the playoffs and led the team in playoff scoring with 15 points in 9 games.

6. Philip Danault won a gold medal on Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

So there you have it, Philip Danault is a winner in life as well as a winner on the ice. His overall skill set is average to slightly above average but his dedication and passion for the game set him apart from the average and he is a player likely to be coveted by all teams. In terms of specific skills, his skating is above average, his hockey sense is special, he has decent puck skills but his physicality is below average. His physicality is below average not because he doesn’t try but because he doesn’t have the body development necessary to be successful to date. With Philip’s dedication, I am sure that a few trips to the gym will be forthcoming to address that problem.

The team that picks up Philip Danault, likely mid-second round, is going to be very happy they did. Check out the compilation video put up by NHLDraftVideo below: