In announcing the re-signing of five players on Thursday morning, the Saints also confirmed that the key defender had rejected a contract offer from the club and would "seek opportunities elsewhere".
Dawson, who played 63 games for St Kilda after being recruited from Hawthorn at the end of 2008, has been linked to Fremantle.
There he would re-join former Saints coach Ross Lyon, who sensationally crossed to the Western Australian club in September.
The five re-signed players are Sean Dempster, Farren Ray, Brett Peake, Dean Polo and Raph Clarke.
Veteran defender Jason Blake has been temporarily de-listed to ease salary cap pressure, but St Kilda has committed to re-drafting him in the NAB AFL Draft or pre-season draft.
"[Blake] was one of three 'veteran' listed players in 2011," a St Kilda statement said.
"To return to the Saints' primary list as a regular listed player, and technically assist in the re-positioning of the club's TPP model, he must be delisted and [then] re-drafted through either the 2011 AFL national or pre-season drafts."
The 30-year-old has played 199 games since his debut in 2000.
The Saints now have seven places to fill on their primary list (including the re-drafting of Blake) for 2012.
They'll have picks 25, 35, 37, 42, 60, 68 and 78 in the November 24 draft.
Seven unlisted players - Ben Casley, Beau Dowler, James Hallahan, Danny Hughes, Michael Lourey, James Magner and Marcus Marigliani - have been invited to join St Kilda pre-season training.
