The Ottawa Senators plan on keeping defenceman Dion Phaneuf, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.

Trade rumours have quieted down since the NHL Entry Draft last week and once defenseman Marc Methot was traded to the Dallas Stars. 

Piror to the expansion draft, Phaneuf was asked by Sens' general manger Pierre Dorion to waive his no-move clause in an apparent effort to protect Methot. Phaneuf declined and Methot was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights and then flipped to the Stars in exchange for goaltender Dylan Ferguson and a second-round pick in 2020.

“Dion and I are great friends. I have tons of respect for that guy. Nobody should hold any ill-will against Dion. The guy likes playing in Ottawa. You can’t blame him. We have a great setup here and a great team. He’s earned every right to make that decision and I respect it,” Methot told the Ottawa Citizen. 

Phaneuf submitted a list of 12 teams that he was open to being traded to earlier this month. 

Last year, in 81 regular season games for the Senators, Phaneuf had nine goals and 21 assists. He was drafted No. 9 overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames.