James Nichols
The National Hockey League has announced a modification to the disciplinary sanction previously imposed on the Ottawa Senators related to their involvement in the July 2021 trade of forward Evgenii Dadonov (now with the New Jersey Devils) to the Vegas Golden Knights, as well as the subsequent March 2022 trade attempt by the Golden Knights to the Anaheim Ducks, which was invalidated by the League.
Original Penalty
The Senators were originally required to forfeit their first-round draft pick in one of the 2024, 2025, or 2026 NHL Entry Drafts as a result of issues surrounding the handling of Dadonov’s no-trade clause, which contributed to the invalidation of the later trade.
Reconsideration and Modification
The Senators requested reconsideration of the penalty, primarily citing changes in franchise ownership and operational oversight since the original incident, which they argued rendered the initial sanction inappropriate under current circumstances. Following a thorough review, the NHL determined that a modification was warranted.
Revised Sanction Details
- The Senators will forfeit their natural first-round selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (determined by lottery results and/or regular-season standing, if they miss the playoffs).
- In lieu of their original position, the club will instead select 32nd overall (the final pick of the first round) in the 2026 Draft.
- The Senators are prohibited from trading or transferring this 32nd overall selection.
- Additionally, the club must pay a $1 million (CDN) fine.
To implement this change:
- All other teams originally slotted behind the Senators in the first round will advance one position in the draft order.
- Regarding the 2026 Draft Lottery (if the Senators miss the playoffs): The team retains its standard odds based on regular-season performance but is ineligible to win the lottery. Any drawn combination assigned to Ottawa will trigger a re-draw, ensuring equitable enhancement of lottery-winning probabilities for all other non-playoff clubs.
Fine Allocation
The $1 million fine will be directed to the NHL Foundation Canada, a League-supported charitable organization dedicated to strengthening Canadian communities and enhancing lives through hockey by promoting accessibility and positive experiences on and off the ice.
The NHL has stated that it will offer no further comment on this matter. This resolution reflects the League’s consideration of evolving circumstances while maintaining accountability for the original infraction.
Dadonov plays for the Devils in 2025-26, and has no points in 18 games.
