NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has decided to return a first-round draft pick to the Ottawa Senators, awarding them the No. 32 overall selection in June's draft. The move comes after an appeal from Senators owner Michael Andlauer, who argued that the team relies heavily on building through the draft.
Background of the Punishment
Originally, Bettman penalized the Senators by forfeiting a first-round pick in either 2024, 2025, or 2026 due to a botched trade involving winger Evgenii Dadonov with the Vegas Golden Knights. In 2021, former Senators general manager Pierre Dorion failed to provide the Knights with Dadonov's proper no-trade list. The following year, when Vegas tried to trade Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks, the deal was blocked because the Ducks were on his no-trade list.
Bettman's Decision
Speaking before Game 3 of the Senators' playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Bettman explained his reasoning. He noted that Andlauer made it clear from the time he closed on the franchise that the draft pick was important to him. Bettman acknowledged that while punishment was necessary to emphasize the seriousness of trade compliance, he felt an adjustment was fair given the circumstances. The league announced on March 12 that the Senators would receive the No. 32 pick instead of forfeiting their first-round selection entirely.
Precedent and Process
Bettman pointed to a similar case involving the New Jersey Devils, who were penalized for a contract circumvention with Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils deferred the forfeiture to 2014, and Bettman ultimately rescinded the punishment. Andlauer and Senators president of hockey operations Steve Staios followed a similar strategy, opting not to forfeit the pick in 2024 or 2025 while appealing to the league. The team also paid a $1 million fine associated with the original punishment.
Future Measures
Bettman stated that the league is working with the NHL Players' Association to ensure no-trade clauses are properly communicated during trades. He emphasized that all information should be on file and disclosed, calling the Senators' oversight negligent rather than intentional. The commissioner expressed confidence that measures will be put in place to prevent similar issues in the future.
