Ottawa Senators set to lose major draft capital for role in aborted Evgenii Dadonov trade

The Ottawa Senators are amid an unsettling chapter in the franchise's history. The National Hockey League announced Wednesday that the Senators would pay a significant price for their involvement in the complicated trade web surrounding Evgenii Dadonov, a talented winger.

As NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed in a post on X, Ottawa will be forced to forfeit a first-round draft pick in one of the next three drafts, a decision left to the team's discretion. Quoting NHL's official statement, Friedman wrote:

"Ottawa will have to forfeit a first-round pick in one of the next three drafts (its choice) for its role in the aborted 2022 trade of Evgeni Dadonov from Vegas to Anaheim."

In light of their role in the disputed Dadonov trade between Vegas and Anaheim, the Ottawa Senators now face a significant penalty. They will have to relinquish a first-round draft pick in one of the upcoming drafts, with the specific year being their choice. Ottawa will determine which pick to forfeit within 24 hours of the conclusion of the Draft Lottery for that year.

The NHL, having made this decision, has chosen not to provide any further comments on the matter. This penalty will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the Senators' future, making it a crucial issue to monitor for hockey enthusiasts and Ottawa's devoted fan base.

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The trade for which the Ottawa Senators are penalized

The origin of this predicament traces back to July 2021, when the Ottawa Senators traded Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, things took an unexpected turn when a subsequent trade, scheduled for March 2022, collapsed. The proposed deal, which aimed to transfer Dadonov from Vegas to the Anaheim Ducks, hit a snag, raising questions about the validity of the entire agreement.

Evgenii Dadonov, known for his scoring prowess, had made a name for himself during three productive seasons with the Florida Panthers. His departure from the Panthers occurred when he signed a lucrative three-year, $15 million contract with the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 15, 2020.

Expectations were high as he joined the Senators, but his debut season with the team fell short of the standards he had previously set in Florida. Dadonov registered 20 points in 55 games, a stark contrast to his previous point-per-game performance.

Shortly after his sole season with the Senators, Dadonov was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights during the following off-season, setting in motion the events that led to the NHL's penalties against the Senators.

As the Senators grapple with the consequences of their involvement in this complicated trade saga, they will look ahead, hoping to build a stronger and more successful team in the coming years.