In a recent development, the Ottawa Senators have been penalized for their role in the trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Golden Knights and a subsequent deal with the Ducks. The team will forfeit a first-round draft pick in one of the 2024, 2025, or 2026 NHL drafts. The decision regarding which draft the pick will be forfeited in will be made within 24 hours of the conclusion of the draft lottery for that particular season. This penalty comes as a result of a violation committed by the Senators during the trade process.
The Invalidated Trade and its Consequences
Back in March 2022, the Golden Knights traded Dadonov to the Ducks along with a conditional second-round pick for defenseman John Moore and forward Ryan Kesler’s contract. Shortly after the trade was announced, however, the Golden Knights discovered an issue and notified the league office about it. The problem revolved around Dadonov’s limited no-trade clause in his contract, which he had signed with the Senators in October 2020. Specifically, the clause stipulated that Dadonov could not be traded without first submitting a 10-team no-trade list. Unfortunately, the Ducks happened to be on a previously submitted no-trade list provided by Dadonov to Ottawa.
The Oversight and Lack of Acknowledgment
Although the trade call between the Golden Knights, Senators, and NHL took place, there was no mention of the trade protection regarding Dadonov’s limited no-trade clause. Consequently, the trade went through without the knowledge or acknowledgment of the no-trade clause violation. It was only after the trade had been completed that the Golden Knights became aware of the issue and sought consultation with the league office.
In response to the trade violation by the Senators, the Golden Knights management met with the NHL in 2022 to address the matter. They sought some form of discipline against Ottawa for their oversight. The outcome of these discussions was the decision that the Senators would forfeit a first-round draft pick. The Golden Knights expressed their appreciation for the league’s diligence in handling the situation and accepted the imposed penalty.
Meanwhile, Evgenii Dadonov has since been traded to the Montreal Canadiens in June 2022 for defenseman Shea Weber’s contract. Dadonov had been playing for the Dallas Stars for the past two seasons. With 493 games played in his 10-year NHL career, he has accumulated a total of 301 points.
The Ottawa Senators find themselves facing the consequences of a trade violation involving Evgenii Dadonov. As part of their punishment, the team will forfeit a first-round draft pick in one of the upcoming NHL drafts. This serves as a reminder to all teams to carefully consider and adhere to trade agreements and contractual obligations to avoid penalties.
Leave a Reply