New Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer slammed the NHL in the fallout of the team losing a first-round pick from the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade and Shane Pinto’s 41-game gambling suspension.
Losing a first-rounder in the Dadonov saga ultimately cost GM Pierre Dorion his job. During Wednesday’s press conference announcing Dorion’s resignation, the 57-year-old Andlauer ripped into the league for not properly advising him about the Dadonov and Pinto situations during the Senators sale process.
“Maybe they didn’t want to disrupt [it] to make sure the seller got the best price possible,” Andlauer said, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Andlauer questioned why he “inherited” the Dadonov situation, being that the incident happened almost two years ago (and 18 months before he purchased the Senators).
“You’ll have to ask the NHL why it took a year. Why I inherited this is beyond me. There’s no reason to last this long,” he said.
“Why I inherited this is beyond me.”
Michael Andlauer on the Senators losing a first-round pick for their role in the voided Evgeni Dadonov trade. pic.twitter.com/0n1lsI20Ql
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 1, 2023
Andlauer believes the NHL could have informed the Senators about the Pinto investigation sooner, as well. Overall, the new Senators owner put on quite the venting session at the league’s expense.
According to TSN’s Claire Hanna, Andlauer said his first 30 days as Senators owner exceeded expectations, but things have really come down to earth recently thanks to a three-game losing streak, three injuries and two phone calls from the NHL.
Senators aren’t only ones criticizing NHL’s communication
It’s not just Andlauer and the Senators who are criticizing the way the league communicates, either.
The Athletic’s Sean McIndoe rightly points out that the league handed down two harsh penalties (both against the Senators) without providing many details to the public.
For the second time in a week, the NHL announces a significant punishment over an unusual story that will be major news, and provides absolutely zero details as to what actually happened.
Fans: Buy your tickets, shell out for merch, then shut up and stop asking questions. https://t.co/aUy115nw9j
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) November 1, 2023
While Andlauer apparently received a 73-page explanation for the Dadonov trade fallout, people have largely been left to speculate about the specifics of Pinto’s gambling infractions, aside from the league saying he didn’t wager on NHL games.
The league also made plenty of missteps with messaging around Pride Tape and has regularly received criticism for how it handles dangerous hits.
