The NHL has officially rescinded the forfeiture of a first-round draft pick previously imposed on the Ottawa Senators, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN. The league's decision comes after the Senators' current leadership spent months lobbying to have the penalty overturned, arguing that the administrative errors occurred under the team's previous ownership and management regime.
The original punishment was tied to the 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov from Ottawa to the Vegas Golden Knights, and a subsequent attempted trade to the Anaheim Ducks. The league had initially ruled that the Senators failed to disclose Dadonov's no-trade list, leading to a voided transaction and significant league-wide fallout. However, as Pierre LeBrun reports, the NHL's stance shifted because the "Dadonov screw-up" took place before the current ownership group, led by Michael Andlauer, took control of the franchise.
The Ottawa Senators were originally slated to forfeit their own first-round pick in one of the 2024, 2025, or 2026 NHL Drafts. By restoring this pick, the NHL acknowledges that the current management team should not be penalized for the mistakes of their predecessors. This move provides a major boost to the Senators' draft capital as they look to improve their standing in the Atlantic Division.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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