The Ottawa Senators have made a splash on the free agent market, signing Evgenii Dadonov to a three-year, $15MM contract. Dadonov was one of the highest-ranked free agents remaining on our Top 50 UFA list. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement:
We’re thrilled to have come to an agreement with Evgenii. He’s an elite offensive talent and a very consistent scorer as demonstrated by his point totals over the last three seasons. This is a key signing for us as it adds a player who will help us produce offensively and one with a proven track record on the power-play.
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the deal also includes a 10-team no-trade clause. Dadonov will earn $3.5MM in 2020-21, $5.0MM in 2021-22 and $6.5MM in 2022-23.
The Senators are having quite the offseason, starting with the 2020 Entry Draft where they selected twice in the first five picks and six times in the first two rounds. The team then solidified the goaltending position by acquiring and extending Matt Murray, while also bringing in some physicality with the trade additions of Josh Brown, Erik Gudbranson, and Austin Watson.
While those additions may have seemed like a way to protect the young core, this move signifies that the front office believes they may be ready to compete sooner than expected. Dadonov, 31, is one of the better offensive players in the league and has recorded at least 25 goals in each of the three seasons since returning from the KHL. He’ll immediately become one of the team’s most dangerous options on the powerplay and can help lengthen out a lineup that was previously led by a bunch of very young players.
As with any signing the Senators make though, it is important to note how back-loaded the deal is. They have a history of moving players out before they get too expensive and with nearly half of the deal’s salary due in the final season that could still be the case here. Still, the team has obviously decided that their competitive window is opening quickly and needed some more scoring punch.
With Dadonov off the board, former teammate (and former Senator) Mike Hoffman is now alone as the top available option. While mid-level players like Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula are also still unsigned, Hoffman is the only real “splash” player still looking for a home.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Wow
Wonder if he cares about winning or about $$$?
Guess I answered my own question
Maybe it was the only real solid offer he had .. I’m not saying that’s the case but you know know … If it’s between 3-15 from Ottawa or 1-3 to play for Pittsburgh (not saying they were involved .. just an example) to me the choice would be
That’s $ for Ottawa. Maybe they are really trying
What’s the point of an NTC if you’re already in Ottawa? Getting traded is just failing upward.
Fantastic signing. Strange no one wanted Dadonov for this.
All the Ottawa haters are missing the reality that this team is going to be really good in the next few years and maybe even shock some people this year. B. Tkachuk may be better than his brother and they have 3 skaters coming in that were 4th, 6th and 7th in scoring in the AHL this past year. If Matt Murray stays healthy it could be a big change from the last few years.
I still think they’ll be a bad team this upcoming year, but you’re correct, they aren’t far off from contention. The defence will probably be the biggest problem until JBD, Sanderson, Brannstrom, and Thomson make the jump though.
Yeah it is a big “might” for this year haha
Ottawa needs a top center. Other teams in the Canadian conference have elite centers (save for Montreal, but they now have some solid RWing!)
Petterson, Horvat, McDavid, Dris, Monahan, Scheifele, Stastny, Danault, (probably more) are all better than Norris, White, and Brown and each of them will own them in the middle of the ice.
Ottawa needs C, D, and bottom 6. Murray isn’t an elite goalie either…despite his two cups.
Dorion has made some great moves. He gets way too much unnecessary flack. I love how much heat he got for the Karlsson trade and that ended up being one of his best deals.
true but Ottawa’s netminder is better than what the Oilers are putting out
he was put in a tough spot. told by your boss to slash salary and its public they need to do this, not just want to. I’d say he’s done well with the assets they acquired but SJ being as bad as they were I’m sure wasn’t what he predicted.
Extremely rare Ottawa free agent W. Cool!
Overpay, but they have the money. Nice pickup of a good player.
He’s a sniper who (to me) would fit in nicely on the opposite wing from Tkachuk.
You might be the only person who thinks this is an overpay lol
Anything over league minimum for anyone is an overpay!
Your top 50 had Hoffman a head of him