Ottawa Senators Avoid Losing Draft Pick: NHL Reverses Decision

NHL Reverses Decision: Ottawa Senators Avoids Losing Draft Pick

In a surprising turn of events, the NHL has modified its initial decision regarding the Ottawa Senators, who will no longer lose their first-round draft pick. This resolution arises from the failed 2022 trade involving Evgenii Dadonov. Instead of giving up their first-round pick in the next NHL draft, the Senators will pick in the last position (32nd overall) and will have to pay a fine of 1 million Canadian dollars. The money raised will go to the NHL Foundation Canada, a charity sponsored by the league. The conflict originated when the Senators traded Dadonov to the Golden Knights in July 2021, without considering the protection clause that the player had in his contract, which specified a list of 10 teams to which he could not be transferred. Subsequently, Vegas traded him to the Ducks in March 2022, unaware that Anaheim was on Dadonov’s list. The NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) questioned the validity of the trade between the Golden Knights and the Ducks, which led the NHL to cancel the deal. The league argued that the trade could not be completed due to Dadonov’s limited no-trade clause. In November 2023, the NHL announced that Ottawa would forfeit its first-round pick in either the 2024, 2025, or 2026 drafts. The Senators had already used their first-round picks in 2024 (Carter Yakemchuk, number 7th overall) and 2025 (Logan Hensler, number 23rd overall), which implied the loss of the 2026 pick. However, the NHL decided to reduce the penalty. The Senators appealed to the league, arguing the significant changes the organization has undergone since the failed Dadonov trade. General Manager Pierre Dorion resigned in November 2023, being replaced by Steve Staios. Furthermore, Michael Andlauer recently took over ownership of the team when the initial sanction was announced.

Why did I inherit this? I don’t understand.

Michael Andlauer

Finally, the NHL agreed that the current Senators should not be punished for the actions of a previous regime. After careful and thorough consideration, the League has decided that a modification of the original sanction is warranted. The Senators issued a statement expressing their gratitude to the league and their support for the decision to allocate the fine to the NHL Foundation Canada. For draft purposes, each team that finishes below the Senators will move up one position. If Ottawa doesn’t qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, they will be assigned the same lottery odds that would have normally been assigned. However, if the Senators win either of the two lottery draws, there will be a new draw.

This is the second time in a dozen years that the NHL has decided to revoke the loss of a draft pick for a team. After originally ruling that the New Jersey Devils would have to forfeit a first-round pick for signing winger Ilya Kovalchuk to a 17-year contract that circumvented the salary cap in 2010, the NHL decided that the Devils would select last in the first round of the 2014 draft.

Kovalchuk had retired from the NHL and went to play in Russia.