NHL Modifies Senators Draft Penalty In Dadonov Trade Case
NEW YORK - The NHL has reduced the Ottawa Senators' penalty in the Evgenii Dadonov trade case, replacing a full first-round draft pick forfeiture with the final pick of the 2026 first round and a C$1 million fine.
The league said Thursday that Ottawa will forfeit its normal 2026 first-round position and instead select 32nd overall, the last pick in the round. The Senators also may not trade or transfer that No. 32 selection, according to the NHL.
What Happened
The modified sanction changes the punishment the NHL imposed in November 2023, when the league said Ottawa would lose a first-round pick in one of the 2024, 2025 or 2026 drafts for its role in the Dadonov trade matter. The league said the case involved the July 2021 trade that sent Dadonov from Ottawa to the Vegas Golden Knights and the later March 2022 trade between Vegas and the Anaheim Ducks that the NHL invalidated.
According to the NHL's 2022 account of the invalidated Ducks trade, Dadonov's contract included a limited no-trade clause that had not been complied with. Dadonov had signed a three-year, $15 million contract with Ottawa in October 2020, and the league said that contract included the clause.
Photo: Northwest, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ottawa asked the league to reconsider the original punishment, citing primarily the club's change in ownership and oversight, according to the NHL. Michael Andlauer's purchase of the Senators was unanimously approved by the NHL Board of Governors in September 2023, according to the league, after the team sale process began following the death of former owner Eugene Melnyk.
The league said the ownership change made a modification warranted. Instead of losing the pick entirely, Ottawa will move from whatever first-round position it earns to No. 32. If other teams would have picked behind Ottawa's normal slot, the NHL said each of those clubs will move up one position from where it otherwise would have selected.
Draft Lottery Impact
The lottery language matters because the penalty follows Ottawa's actual 2026 finish before moving the club to the end of the first round. If the Senators miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL said Ottawa will keep the lottery odds normally assigned to its regular-season finish, but it cannot win either lottery draw.
If a number combination assigned to Ottawa is selected in either of the two lottery draws, the NHL said the league will conduct a redraw. The league said that approach equally enhances the odds for all other non-playoff clubs.
The NHL separately announced that the 2026 Draft Lottery will determine the order for the first 16 picks in the first round. The league said the lottery will be conducted in two phases, one for the No. 1 pick and one for the No. 2 pick, with a rule limiting any lottery team to moving up no more than 10 spots.
That means Ottawa's sanction is not a simple draft-board footnote. It affects the team's own asset, the lottery process if Ottawa is in it, and the draft position of clubs that would have selected after Ottawa's original slot.
The Response
The Senators said they accept the modified punishment. In the team's official statement, Andlauer thanked the league and Commissioner Gary Bettman for reconsidering the sanction and said the organization regards the matter as finished.
The league said the C$1 million fine will go to NHL Foundation Canada. In its release, the NHL described the foundation as a league-sponsored charitable organization whose mission is to strengthen communities and improve lives across Canada through hockey.
Photo: Harleyd613, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
For Ottawa, the result is a lighter penalty than the complete loss of a first-round pick, but still a material restriction. The club loses the value of its natural draft position, cannot convert the No. 32 pick into another asset through a trade, and pays a seven-figure fine in Canadian dollars.
For other clubs, the league's stated mechanism protects the broader draft order by moving teams behind Ottawa's forfeited slot up one place. For fans, the clearest date to watch is the 2026 Draft Lottery if Ottawa misses the playoffs, followed by the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
What People Are Saying
"The Senators' penalty will now involve the forfeiture of their first round pick in 2026 in favor of the right instead to pick 32nd overall in the 2026 NHL Draft." - The National Hockey League, in its modified sanction announcement.
"We fully accept the modified sanctions the League has imposed today. We are grateful for the League and Commissioner keeping an open mind on this issue and modifying the penalty." - Michael Andlauer, Ottawa Senators owner, in the team's statement.
"The revitalized mission of the NHL Foundations is now built on five key pillars: youth development, health and well-being, social equity, pathways to hockey, and service." - The National Hockey League, in a 2024 announcement describing the NHL Foundation structure.
The Big Picture
The NHL's decision closes a discipline case that started with a 2021 player trade and later raised questions about contract information, no-trade rights, club accountability, and how penalties should apply after an ownership change. The league said it will have no further comment, and Andlauer said the Senators consider the matter closed.
The final impact now depends on Ottawa's 2025-26 season. If the Senators make the playoffs, the team will drop from its earned first-round position to No. 32. If they miss, the lottery can still include Ottawa's combinations, but the team cannot win a draw, and any selected Ottawa combination will send the process back to another draw.
