The Vegas Golden Knights continue their busy day by acquiring Evgeny Dadonov from the Ottawa Senators
With Free Agent Frenzy in full swing, teams have seemingly decided to mix in a few trades here or there to cleanse the pallet.
The Vegas Golden Knights got in on the action once again, continuing their torrid day of moves by acquiring forward, Evgeny Dadonov from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenceman, Nick Holden and a 2022 third-round draft pick.
Dadonov, who turned 32 in March, has two years remaining on his deal at a cap hit of $5 million.
It has seemingly become an annual tradition for the Golden Knights to undergo a significant facelift every offseason. Dadonov is yet another new face to come through Vegas since their induction as an NHL franchise, joining a forward corps that lacked the offensive punch to knock off the New York Islanders in the playoffs last year.
Perhaps he can help with that.
Dadonov is still somewhat of a risky acquisition for Vegas, however. The veteran winger had a dreadful time in Ottawa after signing there in October 2020, putting up just 20 points in 55 games while struggling mightily in any circumstance that forced him to set foot in his own zone. Defense is not Dadonov's strong suit, is to put it lightly.
At a $5 million cap hit for both this season and next, Dadonov carries both the term and dollar figure of a top-six forward, albeit without the numbers, at least when looking at this past season, to match. Vegas clearly hopes that their surrounding talent will change that.
Headed Ottawa's way is Holden, an effective bottom-pair defender who has produced some impressive underlying numbers throughout his career. The 34-year-old played just 17 games for the Golden Knights last season, finishing with just two points while bouncing in and out of the lineup.
For a Senators team on the rise, Holden could serve as a decent veteran presence that helps mentor Ottawa's stable of young defensemen.
