GM Staios says first-round pick forfeiture is affecting Senators' deadline

Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios said Friday morning on TSN's TradeCentre coverage that the team having to forfeit a future first-round pick is impacting their trade deadline.

"It's something we have to keep in mind. Those first-round picks are very valuable. It's an unfortunate situation we'll have to deal with at some point," Staios said.

"We keep it in mind in certain situations like this - we have to look at what year we have to give it up. This year or next year. We have to make our best estimation on when that is."

UPDATE: The Ottawa Senators acquired centre Dylan Cozens, defenceman Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forward Josh Norris and defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker on Friday.

The Senators will have to surrender their first-rounder either this summer or next summer due to the mishandling of Evgenii Dadonov's limited no-trade clause that came to light in March of 2022. The summer before, Ottawa dealt Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights and did not inform the Golden Knights of Dadonov's limited no-trade clause, which should have prevented him from being acquired by the Anaheim Ducks in a later deal in March of 2022. The league invalidated Vegas' deal with the Ducks and the Sens were deemed to be at fault, resulting in the firing of then-general manager Pierre Dorion.

“The penalty that was imposed on the franchise was not something I took lightly, not something I was happy to do, but I felt I had to do it,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said last November.

He also said does not plan to revisit the penalty. 

“I haven’t had that discussion in a way that I think would be appropriate for me to comment on publicly, but my inclination would be no.”

The Athletic's Julian McKenzie reported last week the Sens may be less likely to part with a first-rounder at this year's deadline considering their dilemma. However, Staios said Friday Ottawa is "working through a lot of different scenarios."

"We feel like we’re a good team when we’re fully healthy. Looking at a few options right now," he said.

“I have confidence in this group. I think when you look back on the losing streaks you can look to health. We’re hoping for good fortune down the stretch that way."

The Senators enter the deadline at 31-25-5 with 67 points and occupy the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot. The New York Rangers (67 points), Detroit Red Wings (66) and Montreal Canadiens (66) are all right behind, but the Sens have a game in hand over all three teams.