Yesterday, we learned that the Ottawa Senators asked Dion Phaneuf if he would consider waiving his no movement clause (NMC) for the purposes of expansion.
And today, we have Phaneuf’s answer. According to Bob McKenzie, it sounds like Phaneuf and his agents have decided they will not waive the NMC. For the Senators, this means they now have to include Phaneuf on their list of protected players for the purposes of expansion.
The reaction to Phaneuf’s decision will be predictably mixed but it’s hard to blame a player in his situation for wanting to exercise his contractually negotiated rights. Also, you would think the NHLPA is encouraging players in his situation not to waive. Phaneuf has clearly enjoyed his time here in Ottawa and while I’m sure he considered the option to waive and help put the team in a better spot heading into expansion, he also has to worry about his own career and his own personal situation.
What happens next is up to Senators General Manager Pierre Dorion.
The belief is they will now seek out potential trades for either Marc Methot or Cody Ceci, in an attempt to avoid losing a player like Marc Methot for nothing. Easier said than done for the Senators. Most teams will already have their list of protected defenceman in place at this stage making the group of potential suitors fairly limited.
Dorion will have to move quickly either way though with protected lists due to Las Vegas by the end of the week. Right now that list would include Erik Karlsson, Dion Phaneuf and Cody Ceci but depending on the trade market, that may mean a change before the end of the week.
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