Senators forfeit draft pick over invalidated Evgenii Dadonov trade

The Ottawa Senators will forfeit a first-round draft pick for their role in the July 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Golden Knights and the subsequently invalidated March 2022 deal that would have sent Dadonov from Las Vegas to the Ducks.

Ottawa will forfeit its first-round draft pick in one of the 2024, 2025 or 2026 NHL drafts. The Senators will make that determination within 24 hours of the conclusion of the draft lottery that season.

In March 2022, the Golden Knights traded Dadonov to the Ducks along with a conditional second-round pick for defenseman John Moore and the contract of forward Ryan Kesler. But hours after the trade was announced, Vegas said it had “become aware of an issue with respect to the trade” and was consulting with the league office about it.

The issue surrounded Dadonov’s limited no-trade clause in his contract, which he signed in October 2020 with the Senators. The clause indicated that Dadonov couldn’t be traded without first submitting a 10-team no-trade list.

The Ducks were on a previously submitted no-trade list to Ottawa. But when the Golden Knights traded for Dadonov in July 2021, there was no mention of the trade protection on the trade call with the Senators and the NHL. Therefore, it was not acknowledged when Vegas completed the trade with Anaheim.

Golden Knights management met with the NHL in 2022 about the situation, seeking some level of discipline for the Senators.

“We appreciate the league’s diligence on this matter and respect the decision,” the Golden Knights said Wednesday in a statement.

Las Vegas traded Dadonov to the Montreal Canadiens in June 2022 for the contract of defenseman Shea Weber.

Dadonov has played for the Dallas Stars for the past two seasons. He has played 493 games in 10 NHL seasons, scoring 301 points.

The Ottawa Senators will forfeit a first-round draft pick for their involvement in the July 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Golden Knights, as well as the subsequently invalidated March 2022 deal that would have sent Dadonov from Las Vegas to the Ducks.

Ottawa’s penalty will be the forfeiture of its first-round draft pick in either the 2024, 2025, or 2026 NHL drafts. The specific year will be determined by the Senators within 24 hours after the conclusion of the draft lottery in that season.

In March 2022, the Golden Knights completed a trade with the Ducks, sending Dadonov along with a conditional second-round pick, defenseman John Moore, and forward Ryan Kesler’s contract. However, shortly after the trade was announced, it was revealed that there was an issue that needed to be addressed. Vegas then consulted with the league office regarding this matter.

The issue revolved around Dadonov’s limited no-trade clause, which was included in his contract when he signed with the Senators in October 2020. The no-trade clause stated that Dadonov could not be traded without first submitting a list of 10 teams he would not approve a trade to.

The Ducks were already on the previously submitted no-trade list to Ottawa. However, when the Golden Knights acquired Dadonov in July 2021, the trade protection was not mentioned during the trade call with the Senators and the NHL. As a result, the clause was not acknowledged by Vegas when they completed the trade with Anaheim.

In 2022, Golden Knights management met with the NHL to discuss this situation and requested some form of discipline for the Senators. The league has now decided to impose the forfeiture of a first-round draft pick as the penalty for Ottawa’s actions.

“We appreciate the league’s thoroughness in handling this matter and we respect their decision,” stated the Golden Knights on Wednesday.

Following the series of trades, Dadonov was eventually traded to the Montreal Canadiens by Las Vegas in June 2022, in exchange for defenseman Shea Weber’s contract.

Dadonov has been with the Dallas Stars for the past two seasons and has accumulated 301 points in his 10 NHL seasons, playing a total of 493 games.