When the NHL restored the Ottawa Senators’ first-round pick earlier this season, one of the conditions attached was that the team couldn’t trade the pick. Additionally, the selection was anchored to the 32nd overall slot.
By definition, the 32nd slot is essentially a second-round pick. Guys that would have been second-rounders might slip into the first round at 30th, 31st, or 32nd overall. Some guys that could have been first-rounders end up slipping through the cracks into the second round.
That said, what if there was a way the Senators could trade that immovable first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft?
Well, there could be.
We’re going to assume everything is above board here. Now, let’s also assume that there’s a team that would like a specific player who could go late in the first round or early in the second round, but just wouldn’t be able to take that player.
What if the Senators drafted the player that the organization wanted, and then included that player as part of another trade?
The Sens wouldn’t be trading the pick. They’d be trading the player. And that’s a way the Sens could make use of that selection without actually moving it.
With all the talk about Ottawa wanting to upgrade the blue line, it would make sense for the Senators to weaponize that pick and bring in someone who could give the team the boost it needs.
NHL might frown upon the Senators trading the selected player
The Senators would not be violating any terms by trading the player they selected. However, the league might frown upon the move, believing that it was a way of the club skirting around the conditions it imposed when restoring the pick.
The NHL might not publicly say anything, but it would set a bad precedent for other teams in similar situations down the line.
Granted, such situations have been scarce over the years. But fudging the rules a little bit might not sit well with the powers that be. It would be a roundabout way of rocking the boat, so to speak.
This idea, nonetheless, is something that Steve Staios likely has in the back of his mind. If moving the player selected with the 32nd pick is something that will help the club improve next season, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear about him contemplating such a move.
Otherwise, it might be best if the Sens just kept the player and picked, say, a right-hand-shot defenseman who might play a major role down the line.
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