This year, the first round was only going to be 31 picks. The Senators were due to forfeit their first-round selection as a result of failing to disclose Evgenii Dadonov‘s trade protection when trading him to the Golden Knights in 2021, resulting in a botched trade when Vegas attempted to send him to the Ducks the following season. Now, the NHL has modified that penalty – instead of losing their first-round pick entirely, it’ll be moved to the back of the order, giving them the 32nd overall pick, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic.
There are additional restrictions on the selection, the league announced. The Sens can’t trade it for an asset or to move up in the draft order. In the realistic scenario that they don’t make the playoffs, they won’t be eligible for the draft lottery, and a redraw will be held if their number is drawn. They’re also getting fined an additional $1MM in Canadian dollars.
The league took into account that the violation five years ago occurred under a different general manager and ownership. As a result, the Senators “behind the scenes have been lobbying the NHL for quite a while” to reach a resolution that didn’t result in a full forfeiture, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN.
There is precedent for this type of reversal of sanctions. Back in 2010, when the Devils signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a massive 17-year deal that the league deemed to be cap circumvention, the NHL voided the deal and stripped them of a first and third-round pick, along with a $3MM fine. Three years later, when Kovalchuk shockingly retired and walked away from the deal, the league acquiesced in a similar manner when pushed by then-New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello. The NHL returned half the fine and gave the Devils the 30th overall pick in the 2014 draft (then the last selection of the round) with the same restrictions applied.
“The Senators subsequently applied to the League for reconsideration and relief from the original penalty, citing primarily the change in Club ownership and oversight which, in the Club’s view, changed the appropriateness of the penalty initially imposed,” the league said in its statement. “After due and thorough consideration, the League has decided that a modification of the original penalty is warranted.”
Well isn’t that nice
Not a Sens fan, but this is on the NHL just as much as it is on the Senators. These contracts are registered with the NHL central registry – the no trade protection should have been well known. Also, Capfriendly at the time had the no trade protection listed while the website was still running, so how the Golden Knights did not know this is beyond confusing.
Can’t blame the new kid for not knowing the schoolyard rules. That’s why
The no trade lists were expressly NOT registered with the league and Capfriendly has absolutely zero to do with it.
It was investigated at the time and determined the Senators apparently didn’t realize Dadonov’s agent had emailed – and the Senators had received – the no trade list prior to the deadline for doing so. When Vegas asked for the list they were told there wasn’t one. Trade protection is not part of the SPC (standard player contract) and it’s been reported agents and the league did not want a “central registry for fear of leaking… a very reasonable concern.
I hope this clears things up. It’s hard for me to see how you think this is on anyone but the Senators.