Ottawa Senators ink Evgenii Dadonov to three-year, $15M deal

The Ottawa Senators have landed one of the last big-impact free agents, signing forward Evgenii Dadonov to a three-year contract with an annual average value of $5 million.

Despite the pandemic-shortened regular season, Dadonov tallied his third straight 25-goal season for the Panthers. He did it with a career-high 15% shooting percentage and by taking advantage on the power play, where 11 of his goals were scored.

“We’re thrilled to have come to an agreement with Evgenii,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “He’s an elite offensive talent and a very consistent scorer as demonstrated by his point totals over the past three seasons. This is a key signing for us as it adds a player who will help us produce offensively and one with a proven track record on the power-play.”

Dadonov hasn’t made the 16-team Stanley Cup postseason in his career, but he did get a taste of the playoffs this year, as the Panthers were eliminated in four games by the New York Islanders in the qualifying round.

The 31-year-old Dadonov has 91 goals and 111 assists in 280 career games, all with Florida, which drafted him in the third round in 2007. He spent five seasons, from 2012 to 2017, playing in the KHL in Russia.

The Senators’ moves this offseason include acquiring goaltender Matt Murray from the Penguins and extending his contract and making three first-round draft picks — taking German forward Tim Stutzle at No. 3, American defenseman Jake Sanderson at No. 5 and Canadian Ridly Greig at No. 28.