The NHL came down hard on the Ottawa Senators for their role in the Evgenii Dadonov trade that upset two teams because the Senators either didn’t know, or willfully left out the fact that Dadonov had a no-trade clause while he was being traded. When the Vegas Golden Knights tried to trade him to Anaheim, he vetoed the deal. As a result, the NHL felt embarrassed and the Golden Knights and Ducks upset that Ottawa wasn’t forthright.
In the aftermath of that whole mess, the Senators are being forced for forfeit a future first-round draft pick. They have a choice about what year that will take place, but there is now talk that perhaps the Senators will hold off, hoping to appeal to the league and have the NHL and Gary Bettman reconsider.
A precedent exists for such a move. In 2014, three years after penalizing the New Jersey Devils for salary cap circumvention related to Ilya Kovalchuk’s $100 million contract, the league amended the sanction following the Devils’ application for “reconsideration and relief.” In somewhat different circumstances, it used to be that hiring coaches and GMs who worked for other teams meant giving up draft picks. The league then changed that rule too.
The Senators, if they are thinking about holding off, might be making a wise bet that the NHL will have a change of heart.
Gary Bettman Doesn’t See It, But He’s Open to Talking
When questioned about the possibility of a similar outcome in the Senators’ case, the NHL Commissioner responded, “I consider the matter closed.” He added, “but I’m always open for dialogue with owners on any subject they want at any point in time.” He wouldn’t guarantee a change of heart, but Bettman acknowledged the new owner, Michael Andlauer, has the freedom to express his concerns.
Andlauer will likely appeal. When he spoke to fans about both the firing of Pierre Dorion, he also addressed the penalties handed down by the league. Saying he couldn’t understand how a decision was made after he assumed ownership, he accused the league of lacking transparency on ongoing investigations. he hinted that they purposely withheld information that would have affected the sale price of the team.
Bettman, however, defended the NHL’s decision and suggested Andlauer will change his tune. “I’m not going to get into a public debate with Michael Andlauer,” he asserted. “I’m more than comfortable with what we did, and maybe on reflection, Michael will be – if not already – more comfortable with the way things were handled.”
Still, it doesn’t hurt Andlauer to press the matter. He’s not about to lose more than what the league is already set to take away. Perhaps the first becomes a second or even lower pick. And, if the Senators withhold the draft pick until 2026, you never know where the league will sit on their ruling.
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