Evgenii Dadonov trade fiasco prompts NHL deputy commissioner to clarify rules around no-trade lists

The recent trade fiasco involving Evgenii Dadonov has prompted NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly to address and clarify the rules surrounding no-trade lists in the league. Daly explained the discussions with general managers (GMs) following the Ottawa Senators forfeiting a first-round draft pick due to the rescinded trade involving Dadonov.

Daly emphasized that the league has asked GMs to take control of the situation by filing no-trade lists with the NHL Central Registry. According to The Athletic, Daly said,

"What the managers heard today was they are in total control of this. If they want to be in control of this, they can file the no-trade lists with us and eliminate any risk to them, or they don’t have to.”

The issue of centralizing no-trade lists had been discussed previously in the league, particularly after a rescinded trade between Anaheim and Vegas in March 2022.

The initial proposal involved warehousing these lists in a centralized manner with the NHL Central Registry, with the NHL Players’ Association being kept informed. However, the NHLPA decided against signing off on the idea due to concerns from players and agents about the potential leaking of information regarding which teams players preferred not to be traded to.

Daly acknowledged the limitations imposed by the NHLPA's decision, stating,

"What we can’t do is say that if it’s not done, the trade is null and void, so there has to be some responsibility on behalf of the clubs. If they want to avoid the risk, it’s easy to avoid the risk.”

NHL Deputy Commissioner Daly urges teams to take control of no-trade lists after Evgenii Dadonov trade fiasco

Consequently, teams are being urged to take the initiative and, if they wish, utilize the Central Registry to centralize their no-trade lists. Daly emphasized,

“It’s totally up to the club as to how they want to control it.”

As the league addresses the aftermath of the Dadonov trade debacle, the proactive measures suggested by Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly aim to empower teams in managing and mitigating potential risks associated with no-trade lists in future player transactions.