The Ottawa Senators have made the news today regarding Pierre Dorion. The now former General Manager officially resigned from his post and Steve Staios will take over in the interim. Staios was only recently hired as President of Hockey Operations. The straw that broke the camel’s back is the debauchery of the Evgenii Dadonov trade. The team did not disclose he had a ten team no-trade clause and the league’s punishment came down today. The Sens will forfeit a first-round pick in either of the next three years.
#Sens Michael Andlauer says he received a 73 page report that showed the hockey club was "negligent in nature" in regards to the Dadonov trade.
That was the last straw for Pierre Dorion as GM (per question from @SunGarrioch). Steve Staios will be interim GM.
— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) November 1, 2023
Why Did Pierre Dorion Resign as General Manager of the Ottawa Senators
It felt like a roller coaster ride under Pierre Dorion. His first season with the club in 2016-17, would be their only playoff trip under his tenure. Overall, the team went 225-261-65 over that period. What made it feel like such a roller coaster was the highs and the lows. He has traded away franchise players, such as Erik Karlsson or Mark Stone, in exchange for prospects for a rebuild. The last two summers in particular were dubbed “The Summer of Pierre.” Key signings and acquisitions are the reason.
If you look at his moves, there have been positives and negatives. For instance, on one hand, he traded for Alex DeBrincat for a not-top first-rounder. On the other hand, he wasn’t able to get him to sign an extension. Therefore, rather than let him walk and lose assets, he was traded for Dominik Kubalik and other pieces. Now, no knock against Kubalik, but his salary made it difficult to have money aside for RFA Shane Pinto. The fact that Pinto is currently suspended for gambling activities doesn’t really reflect directly on Dorion. Although as a General Manager, it doesn’t look great having that occurred under your regime, especially while the player was classified as a holdout.
What Does This Mean for the Senators Going Forward
Brighter days are ahead for the Senators. Owner Michael Andlauer has done a solid job supplanting his legacy on the club in only a short period of time. Furthermore, bringing in Staios has led to stability within the hockey executive staff. A couple of other members of the staff still remain intact with Assistant General Manager Ryan Bowness or Director of Hockey Operations Tim Pattyson. Rumours are rustling about on Peter Chiarelli as the next General Manager, but maybe Staios waits. There is no rush to bring in a General Manager, as the roster is largely set. For Dorion, he did do a nice job of signing the core for what is looked at as deals in two to three years’ time. For example, if Tim Stutzle continues to develop into the superstar it appears, his $8M turns into a bargain.
Main photo: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
