*Photo from Sportsnet*
The hammer is coming down on the Ottawa Senators. The NHL is forcing the Senators to forfeit a first round draft pick for the team's role in a voided trade in the 2021-2022 season that would have sent forward Evgenii Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks.
At the 2022 trade deadline, the Vegas Golden Knights tried to trade Dadonov to the Ducks. The Ducks were a team that was on Dadonov's no trade list, causing the deal to fall through. The Senators traded Dadonov to Vegas in the offseason that year and reportedly failed to inform Vegas properly about his no trade list.
The first rounder Ottawa forfeits could be either their 2024, 2025, or 2026 first round picks. The Senators can determine which pick to forfeit within 24 hours of the ending of each year's draft lottery. Ottawa holds all their first round picks in those years, plus one more from the Alex DeBrincat trade.
Senators owner Michael Andlauer said that "With respect to today’s NHL serious ruling, the 73-page report that was shared with me last week stems from actions originated by our hockey club, unfortunately, that we were negligent in nature and our duty of care was ignored, which set off events that embarrassed the League and two other NHL clubs. As a member of this league, we have to be held accountable for our actions, and while this was done before my watch, I must respect the League’s decision."
This saga has also ended the tenure of Senators GM Pierre Dorion. After 8 years as the team's GM, Dorion resigned after the penalties from the league came down. Steve Staios, currently the Senators president of hockey operations, will take over as interim GM while a search is conducted.
Dorion first joined the Senators in 2007 as a scout before rising to assistant GM in 2014 before becoming the permanent GM in 2016. In the 2016-2017 season, the Senators made the playoffs and got to the Eastern Conference Final, the one year they made the postseason in Dorion's tenure.
As the Senators GM, Dorion has made a handful of noteworthy trades. He traded Mika Zibanejad for Derick Brassard in 2016, landed Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche in 2017 that gave Colorado a first round pick that became Bowen Byram. Dorion eventually traded Duchene to the Columbus Blue Jackets and also dealt Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks.
Towards the end of October, the Senators also dealt with a situation regarding RFA forward Shane Pinto. The NHL announced that Pinto, currently unsigned, was suspended 41 games for sports gambling activities.
Andlauer said that "My first 30 days as owner of the Ottawa Senators has exceeded my expectations from all aspects. From the great fan support, to this incredible city that has adopted me with open arms, to the passionate staff who care very much for our team as well as a great exciting team who also care very much on the ice. Our team got off to a great start in the last 30 days, but unfortunately the last 10 days have not been much fun for me and kind of brought be back down to earth."
During the process of buying the Senators, Andlauer said he wasn't informed of a potential penalty to the Senators as part of the fallout from the Dadonov trade, nor the investigation taking place into Pinto.
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