Sens army HQ

[originalmuffins]

Arizona Coyotes will play at a 5,000 seat arena starting in 2022-2023:

https://www.nhl.com/news/arizona-coyotes-to-play-at-new-asu-arena-for-next-three-years/c-330681600

So apparently, we could just move the Sens to the new Lansdowne arena with the 67s once it's built. Problem solved.

I still don't understand how the Coyotes are still in Arizona yet the league refuses to give Quebec a franchise lol.

[originalmuffins]

Finally gets the recognition he deserves. When you look at players like Mats Sundin and the Sedin twins, who all got in on their first year of eligibility, and compare their stats/accomplishments with those of Alfie, it really doesn't make sense as to why he had to wait this long. Oh well, in the end he is a Hall of Famer and that's all that matters.

Well damn deserved.

[J.OT13]

Finally gets the recognition he deserves. When you look at players like Mats Sundin and the Sedin twins, who all got in on their first year of eligibility, and compare their stats/accomplishments with those of Alfie, it really doesn't make sense as to why he had to wait this long. Oh well, in the end he is a Hall of Famer and that's all that matters.

Heck, we even have a bunch of nobodies who played with Gretzky. They won a bunch of Stanley Cups just by sitting on the sidelines.

[OTownandDown]

Can you guys explain what exactly this entails? What happens now?

[phil235]

Can you guys explain what exactly this entails? What happens now?

There's a weekend of events in Toronto including a big induction ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame (which is definitely worth a visit). His name and profile gets added to the wall. Then likely something here, but that is up to the team.

[J.OT13]

Ottawa Senators
@Senators
Great to have you back, Coach!

#Sens name Wade Redden development coach: https://ottsens.com/3yoqtgM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FXYorauXkAgZoEl?format=jpg&name=small
8:15 AM · Jul 11, 2022·Twitter Web App

https://twitter.com/Senators/status/1546468300909121536

[rocketphish]

Wade Redden returns to Senators as development coach

Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen
Jul 11, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 1 minute read

Defenceman Wade Redden, one of the early stars of the Ottawa Senators franchise, rejoined the organization Monday, taking on a new position as a development coach.

Redden took his first strides in the role Monday as the Senators kicked off a four-day development camp featuring the club’s prospects. Jake Sanderson, the club’s fifth overall selection in the 2020 NHL entry draft and Tyler Boucher, the club’s top choice in the 2021 draft, are taking part, along with the slew of players drafted by the club last Thursday and Friday.

Redden, 45, who was drafted second overall by the New York Islanders in 1995, was traded to the Senators with goaltender Damian Rhodes for a package that included former first overall pick Bryan Berard.

Redden spent 11 seasons with the Senators, a stretch in which the club never missed the playoffs. He also played for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins, finishing his career with 109 goals and 348 assists in 1,023 games.

Redden is the Senators all-time leader in plus/minus (plus 159), ranks fourth in games played (838), fifth in points (410) and sixth in penalty minutes (576).

In his new position, he will work alongside fellow former Senators Shean Donovan and Jesse Winchester.

“Wade’s addition is a significant one for our development group,” general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “He’ll be especially integral in helping mold our prospects on defence. A leader throughout his playing career, we know the same qualities will translate very well in this new role.”

kwarren@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/redden-returns-to-senators-in-developmental-role/wcm/96ef5f00-36b3-4d96-8d36-ec16340cdfcf

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

The Sens have just announced, minute before I write this, that they have signed free agent Claude Giroux.

[J.OT13]

Not sure how I feel about this. He was a big name years ago, but he's pretty average at this point.

[phil235]

The Sens have just announced, minute before I write this, that they have signed free agent Claude Giroux.

Wow, between Debrincat and Giroux, that is quite an upgrade. Wasn't expecting them to manage all of that and resolve their goaltending issue without giving up any prospects. This team is going to be fun to watch.

[phil235]

Not sure how I feel about this. He was a big name years ago, but he's pretty average at this point.

65 points last year. He's definitely a top 6 forward, and he'll be a great mentor to the young centres. They also got him cheaper than expected, so maybe there was a bit of a hometown discount.

Year 3 may not be as fun, but if they get a couple of good years out of him, this will be a good signing. Instantly makes their top 6 one of the best in the league.

[Acajack]

Claude Giroux would have been almost tied with Brady Tkachuk for most points on the team last year, with both of them far ahead of the next guy on the list.

[J.OT13]

65 points last year. He's definitely a top 6 forward, and he'll be a great mentor to the young centres. They also got him cheaper than expected, so maybe there was a bit of a hometown discount.

Year 3 may not be as fun, but if they get a couple of good years out of him, this will be a good signing. Instantly makes their top 6 one of the best in the league.

Ok, that's more than I thought. Sad that we lost a lot of our own veterans who were great leaders and mentors over the last little while (hometown hero Pageau, for example), but looks like the team has made some good moves recently.

[YOWflier]

Stunning off-season. Dorion goes from zero to hero real fast. Anna and Olivia showing the old boys owner club some moxy. Incredible vibes right now.

I’m surprised nobody posted after DeBrincat, but better later than never.

Should-be lethal top 2 lines, heck maybe even 3 scoring lines if they distribute the talent. Our top line will challenge the pizza line of yesteryear. Two dangerous PP units.

So damn excited.

[J.OT13]

Between the recent moves on the hockey front and the revival of the potential LeBreton Arena, we're in a really good place for the first time since our playoff run in 2017 (when a potential new LeBreton arena was also on the table).

[phil235]

Stunning off-season. Dorion goes from zero to hero real fast. Anna and Olivia showing the old boys owner club some moxy. Incredible vibes right now.

I’m surprised nobody posted after DeBrincat, but better later than never.

Should-be lethal top 2 lines, heck maybe even 3 scoring lines if they distribute the talent. Our top line will challenge the pizza line of yesteryear. Two dangerous PP units.

So damn excited.

Completely agree. I still want to see what he does in terms of getting an established D, but with those forwards I think he can get a #3-4 guy and they will be really competitive. Impressive turnaround, and particularly good considering that there isn't another team that improved nearly as much.

[DTcrawler]

As an extremely avid Sens fan, and sometimes an overly pessimistic one at that, I cannot emphasize enough how drastically the outlook around this team has changed for the better since Melnyk passed. We’ve enjoyed some great off-ice news such as the Lebreton deal, the Alfie HHOF induction, and the Redden/Bowness hirings. However, what’s transpired over the past week regarding the on-ice product is nothing short of extraordinary.

The DeBrincat trade on draft day was the first big splash and drew league-wide attention when the Sens managed to beat out other teams and add a repeat 40-goal scorer, who can play alongside future superstar, Stützle (for a bargain price - three draft picks, no players/prospects surrendered). Then, we managed to offload Murray’s contract to the Leafs without any substantial sweeteners or salary retention, in order to make room to sign hometown guy, Claude effing Giroux, who’s still got a lot left in the tank it seems based on his recent production. And this is coming from a team that, historically, has had no luck attracting big name free agents.

All of a sudden, the Sens have a top 6 that can go head to head with anyone, and a top 9 that is one of the deepest we’ve ever seen. Add some further reliability in net with the Talbot acquisition, and suddenly, a lot of the holes that existed on this team have vanished. To say we’ve witnessed an absolute masterclass by GM Pierre Dorion would accurate - and the league has taken notice, based on the discussion on social media and the flurry of texts I’ve been getting from my non-Sens fan friends, trying to make sense of the team’s sudden change of pace. Expectations around the team have shifted significantly since draft day. Before all these acquisitions, the Sens were expected to try and at least remain in the playoff hunt for the entirety of the season, but likely miss. Now, I’d say most fans would see missing the playoffs as a letdown, even if there’s no pressure to win a series yet. That being said, we’ve definitely hit the fast-forward button in terms of our path towards contention, and given a couple of years to mesh and develop, the current roster should be seen as a legit cup contender.

The biggest remaining missing piece is another top 4 defenceman to insulate top-prospect, Jake Sanderson, who should be making his debut this season. There are multiple reports that Dorion is actively pursuing exactly that. Mackenzie Weegar (another hometown kid) is supposedly on the market and would be the ideal addition, in my opinion.

Seriously, if you have only been following the Sens casually for the past little while, now is the time to get invested. I hope fans who’ve been in hibernation return en masse, because there is no longer any doubt about the org taking the necessary steps to win fans back.

Exciting times ahead! Go Sens Go!

[J.OT13]

Fantastic summer for the Sens so far. Melnyk's daughters seem to be doing well. I was worried they would be absentee owners, but so far so good. We know Melnyk himself put the wheels in motion for a new arena, so maybe investing big time this summer was his plan all along.

[DTcrawler]

Fantastic summer for the Sens so far. Melnyk's daughters seem to be doing well. I was worried they would be absentee owners, but so far so good. We know Melnyk himself put the wheels in motion for a new arena, so maybe investing big time this summer was his plan all along.

The Melnyk sisters are technically not owners of the club just yet, as Eugene’s estate still holds ownership. I believe the club is primarily managed by the existing BoD. I think Anna and Olivia’s more hands-off approach than their father’s is exactly why the team’s fortunes have changed. Hockey ops decisions are being made by hockey ops personnel, leading to better outcomes. We’ve heard before how poor signings like the Del Zotto contract were mainly due to Eugene’s input, so it’s interesting to see what Dorion has been able to accomplish with his and his staff’s new-found autonomy.

[DTcrawler]

I think this list of Sens-related headlines demonstrates just how much good news we’ve had lately

https://i.imgur.com/2tMreai_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

[YOWflier]

Add to that list Josh Norris just signed long term. Ohhhhh baby.

[GeoNerd]

Senators tickets went on sale to Sens Insiders this morning and to the general public this Thursday. I’ve have heard they are selling fast. The team said yesterday that season tickets sales have seen a significant increase (+60%) and they are the highest it’s been in years. People are pumped about the team again. Great to see.

[J.OT13]

Senators tickets went on sale to Sens Insiders this morning and to the general public this Thursday. I’ve have heard they are selling fast. The team said yesterday that season tickets sales have seen a significant increase and they are the highest it’s been in years. People are pumped about the team again. Great to see.

Great news! We've certainly seen some positive moves over the summer with the signing of Cam Talbot, Giroux, and two-time 40 goal scorer Debrincat. Combine that with Alfie's entrance into the Hall of Fame and the revival of the Downtown Sens Arena proposal, and we're in the best position since the 2016-2017 season.

[GeoNerd]

Tim Stützle extended 8 years x $8.35 million. Unreal, the good news just keeps pouring in.

[JHikka]

Reposting this here

re: new Ottawa arena

@SunGarrioch
Anthony LeBlanc says no decisions have been made but a rink capacity in the 16,000 to 16,500 would probably be ideal. #Sens

It's Garrioch and LeBlanc so take it with the world's largest grain of salt but that size would make far more sense than what they're currently stuck with.

[J.OT13]

Sounds like just about the perfect size for an urban arena at LeBreton Flats. Still a bit larger than Winnipeg at just over 15,000, but still the second smallest in the NHL (or third if we're counting the Coyotes 5k temporary arena).

[phil235]

Sounds like just about the perfect size for an urban arena at LeBreton Flats. Still a bit larger than Winnipeg at just over 15,000, but still the second smallest in the NHL (or third if we're counting the Coyotes 5k temporary arena).

Yeah, it would be about the same as the Prudential Centre in Jersey. That capacity seems about right. With the exception of Detroit, basically all of the newest arenas are right around the 17-17,500 mark. It makes sense for Ottawa to go a bit smaller, but 16,500 feels right.

Edit - Rogers Place in Edmonton is just over 18,000

[lrt's friend]

Tim Stützle extended 8 years x $8.35 million. Unreal, the good news just keeps pouring in.

I hope all the good news results in tangible results on the ice. We will know by November.

[GeoNerd]

I hope all the good news results in tangible results on the ice. We will know by November.

True. There’s no question this kids loaded with talent. He may need another season or so to develop, but he’s got süperstar written all over him.

[GeoNerd]

Yeah, it would be about the same as the Prudential Centre in Jersey. That capacity seems about right. With the exception of Detroit, basically all of the newest arenas are right around the 17-17,500 mark. It makes sense for Ottawa to go a bit smaller, but 16,500 feels right.

Edit - Rogers Place in Edmonton is just over 18,000

I think Ottawa building a 16000-16500 capacity arena is a bit short sighted. It would be the second smallest arena in the league (Not counting Arizona. If Edmonton can support an 18500 arena, and Calgary was planning 18300 before the deal feel apart, than certainly Ottawa can support something comparable being a larger city. Even tiny Quebec City has a 18259 capacity arena. One could argue that those cities are more blue collar than Ottawa, but hockey is only one of the many tenants at these event centres. I do like the atmosphere at the newer smaller capacity arenas like UBS Arena, but that’s still 17255 capacity. 16000-16500 seems like a mistake for a rapidly growing major city. That arena will likely be there for the next +30 years. Ottawa metro area will be passing 2 million by then.

[JHikka]

I think Ottawa building a 16000-16500 capacity arena is a bit short sighted.
The general trend of new sports facilities builds is to downsize total capacity in favour of designs that increase boxes, suites, etc. NFL teams are downsizing and MLS is keeping new soccer-specific builds to a limit of 25-30K. NHL teams have been moving away from 20K in favour of 18K or smaller.

It would be the second smallest arena in the league (Not counting Arizona. If Edmonton can support an 18500 arena, and Calgary was planning 18300 before the deal feel apart, than certainly Ottawa can support something comparable being a larger city.
There's a lot at play regarding this sort of math and why Ottawa is a weaker business market than either of those two cities, particularly when looking at box and suite purchases.

Even tiny Quebec City has a 18259 capacity arena.
How'd that work out for them?

One could argue that those cities are more blue collar than Ottawa, but hockey is only one of the many tenants at these event centres.
Hockey isn't a blue collar sport, at least when it comes to those making it professionally or playing at its highest levels.

I do like the atmosphere at the newer smaller capacity arenas like UBS Arena, but that’s still 17255 capacity. 16000-16500 seems like a mistake for a rapidly growing major city.
Smaller venue means the team can throttle supply/demand far easier and price accordingly.

That arena will likely be there for the next +30 years. Ottawa metro area will be passing 2 million by then.

Probably better to build too small and price it out than build too large and have to tarp over seats and renovate stands to artificially lower the capacity. Sports in general are going towards smaller capacities as they battle for interest and with view-at-home audiences.

[phil235]

I think Ottawa building a 16000-16500 capacity arena is a bit short sighted. It would be the second smallest arena in the league (Not counting Arizona. If Edmonton can support an 18500 arena, and Calgary was planning 18300 before the deal feel apart, than certainly Ottawa can support something comparable being a larger city. Even tiny Quebec City has a 18259 capacity arena. One could argue that those cities are more blue collar than Ottawa, but hockey is only one of the many tenants at these event centres. I do like the atmosphere at the newer smaller capacity arenas like UBS Arena, but that’s still 17255 capacity. 16000-16500 seems like a mistake for a rapidly growing major city. That arena will likely be there for the next +30 years. Ottawa metro area will be passing 2 million by then.

I actually think it's the opposite. Given the preferences of younger generations, it looks like attendance at spectator sports are likely to decline in the coming decades. The trends are there. That's why arenas are getting smaller. That and the fact that scarcity of tickets is a real factor - much better to have a 16,000 seat arena that is consistently sold out than an 18,000 seat arena that regularly has a couple of thousand empty seats where you are discounting to sell tickets.

Also, lots of teams in bigger markets are the ones in the 17k range - the Islanders, Devils, Seattle, Vegas, etc. I could see an argument to bump it up to that size, but I think 18k plus is too big.

[GeoNerd]

I actually think it's the opposite. Given the preferences of younger generations, it looks like attendance at spectator sports are likely to decline in the coming decades. The trends are there. That's why arenas are getting smaller. That and the fact that scarcity of tickets is a real factor - much better to have a 16,000 seat arena that is consistently sold out than an 18,000 seat arena that regularly has a couple of thousand empty seats where you are discounting to sell tickets.

Also, lots of teams in bigger markets are the ones in the 17k range - the Islanders, Devils, Seattle, Vegas, etc. I could see an argument to bump it up to that size, but I think 18k plus is too big.

Agreed. 17k range is perfect. UBS Arena absolutely nailed their facility. 16k is too small and may backfire. 18-19k often feel cavernous.

[phil235]

Agreed. 17k range is perfect. UBS Arena absolutely nailed their facility. 16k is too small and may backfire. 18-19k often feel cavernous.

Yeah, I really hope that they use UBS as their model. Climate Pledge Arena is cool, but it's too unique to copy.

[GeoNerd]

The general trend of new sports facilities builds is to downsize total capacity in favour of designs that increase boxes, suites, etc. NFL teams are downsizing and MLS is keeping new soccer-specific builds to a limit of 25-30K. NHL teams have been moving away from 20K in favour of 18K or smaller.


There's a lot at play regarding this sort of math and why Ottawa is a weaker business market than either of those two cities, particularly when looking at box and suite purchases.


How'd that work out for them?


Hockey isn't a blue collar sport, at least when it comes to those making it professionally or playing at its highest levels.


Smaller venue means the team can throttle supply/demand far easier and price accordingly.



Probably better to build too small and price it out than build too large and have to tarp over seats and renovate stands to artificially lower the capacity. Sports in general are going towards smaller capacities as they battle for interest and with view-at-home audiences.

Hockey isn’t a blue collar sport? Have you been to many hockey games? :haha:

I would argue that outside of golf, tennis, rowing, and a few others, most spectator sports are predominantly blue collar/working class.

[phil235]

Hockey isn’t a blue collar sport? Have you been to many hockey games? :haha:

I would argue that outside of golf, tennis, rowing, and a few others, most spectator sports are predominantly blue collar.

I'd also note that the number of corporate boxes in new facilities is decreasing rather than increasing. Whereas Ottawa had something just south of 200 when it opened, the newer arenas are in the 60-100 range. They are opting for fan decks and premium seating with food service where boxes used to be.

[JHikka]

Hockey isn’t a blue collar sport? Have you been to many hockey games? :haha:
When you're talking about people purchasing tickets for NHL games in major markets then no, they're not really blue collar. As prices rise those people are generally phased out in favour of more white collar backgrounds (think Leafs games).

Next time there's a AAA youth game in your neighbourhood i'd recommend checking out the cars in the parking lot because it's not Fords or Chevrolets parked outside.

I would argue that outside of golf, tennis, rowing, and a few others, most spectator sports are predominantly blue collar.
The thing with teams and leagues further dictating supply/demand in their tickets and venues is that they can squeeze out those who cannot afford the product in favour of those who can. The smaller that arenas get and the more that tickets rise the less blue collar those crowds will be. We can already see that now in Winnipeg as consumers in that market are slowly being phased out with softer demand for tickets.

[GeoNerd]

When you're talking about people purchasing tickets for NHL games in major markets then no, they're not really blue collar. As prices rise those people are generally phased out in favour of more white collar backgrounds (think Leafs games).

I don’t think you should be using the Leafs as the benchmark of who purchases pro sports tickets. Leafs tickets are out of reach even for most white collar budgets. 85% of leafs tickets are season tickets, and many of those are company owned. When they pan the crowd at Leafs games half the people are clearly there with company tickets, on their phone, shirt collar sticking up under their jersey with the tags still on. You could hear a pin drop in downtown Toronto on Leafs game nights. The vast majority their fans are coming in from the 905 & 705.

You’re assuming blue collar means poor, which is the exact opposite of reality. Many, if not most, blue collar tradesmen are making substantially more than a lot of office workers nowadays.

Also as previously stated, the Sens only occupy the arena for 41 nights a year. You still have to make it marketable to other big show promoters.

[GeoNerd]

Next time there's a AAA youth game in your neighbourhood i'd recommend checking out the cars in the parking lot because it's not Fords or Chevrolets parked outside.

For the record we aren’t talking about the economic bracket of people playing hockey. Obviously it’s an expensive and time consuming sport to put your children into. We’re talking about spending money on tickets to go see pro-sports teams.

[JHikka]

I don’t think you should be using the Leafs as the benchmark of who purchases pro sports tickets.
Why not? They're what happens when a team is able to capitalize on a massive market and cater ticket demand to specific consumers to maximize revenues. That's the end goal for most, if not all, sports franchises.

Leafs tickets are out of reach even for most white collar budgets. 85% of leafs tickets are season tickets, and many of those are company owned. When they pan the crowd at Leafs games half the people are clearly there with company tickets, on their phone, shirt collar sticking up under their jersey with the tags still on. You could hear a pin drop in downtown Toronto on Leafs game nights. The vast majority their fans are coming in from the 905 & 705.
None of this really matters at the end of the day as long as the team is soaking up the revenues. Sports franchises don't see blue collar or white collar, just dollar signs. They don't care where the money is coming from as long as it's coming in through the doors.

You’re assuming blue collar means poor, which is the exact opposite of reality. Many, if not most, blue collar tradesmen are making substantially more than a lot of office workers nowadays.
I'm not even sure why we're discussing this point because it's mostly irrelevant. Calgary and Edmonton are stronger markets than Ottawa because there's more corporate backing in those markets, as opposed to public service orientation. This has been covered here before. I'm sure being Downtown will help a ton compared to being out in Kanata, but public service/government towns will always have softer demand in most aspects compared to their contemporaries due to a number of inherent factors revolving around workforce, income, and general limitations on what government can do wrt sports entities.

Also as previously stated, the Sens only occupy the arena for 41 nights a year. You still have to make it marketable to other big show promoters.
Sure, but the same still applies. If a concert promoter wants to sell out 16K at a higher average price they will instead of clamoring to find 2-4K more people at a lower price point. What's the old saying? The most expensive seats to build are the least desirable in the last row.

16K works well for Ottawa because it means they'll have an easier time selling out and an easier time jacking up prices when demand gets to that point.

[GeoNerd]

Why not? They're what happens when a team is able to capitalize on a massive market and cater ticket demand to specific consumers to maximize revenues. That's the end goal for most, if not all, sports franchises.

What are you talking about? You’ve lost the narrative here. We’re talking about the Ottawa market. Obviously it would benefit the Sens if the had access to another 3.5 million residents in the metro area. Not the same market, whatsoever. I’m not sure why you’re comparing them.

16K works well for Ottawa because it means they'll have an easier time selling out and an easier time jacking up prices when demand gets to that point.

That would be true if you didn’t understand the Ottawa market at all. The Sens have had a temporary dip in attendance the past few seasons due largely in part to the former owners business moves and relationship with the fanbase. You fail to recognize that the Sens had one of the highest attendance rates in the league before this dip. It used to be near impossible to find Sens tickets as every game was sold out. You act as though this recent attendance dip is the norm, when it is the exact opposite.

[Harley613]

16k would be a huge mistake in a region that will gain a million more people in the lifetime of the new arena....but hey, it's Ottawa, we don't build for the future... we build for what was needed 30 years ago.

[JHikka]

What are you talking about? You’ve lost the narrative here. We’re talking about the Ottawa market. Obviously it would benefit the Sens if the had access to another 3.5 million residents in the metro area. Not the same market, whatsoever. I’m not sure why you’re comparing them.
Because they're both NHL markets. I'm not sure why Calgary or Edmonton were raised, either, because each market typically has its own unique facets. The point I was making was that the Leafs are the model that all NHL teams in Canada should strive towards because they've been able to maximize revenues on tickets (which typically means selling ones soul to corporate interests in the process). Other markets will get as close as they can dependant on market size and demand, but all that matters at the end of the day for these teams is making money and franchise valuation, with the occasionally upside of maybe winning a Stanley Cup once a generation.

That would be true if you didn’t understand the Ottawa market at all. The Sens have had a temporary dip in attendance the past few seasons due largely in part to the former owners business moves and relationship with the fanbase. You fail to recognize that the Sens had one of the highest attendance rates in the league before this dip. It used to be near impossible to find Sens tickets as every game was sold out. You act as though this recent attendance dip is the norm, when it is the exact opposite.
I'm not sure how you've come to this conclusion from my post, but sure. If Ottawa already has the demand, which we've seen in the past, then it'll be easier for them to raise ticket prices even higher and maximize revenues even more in a smaller building. 16k allows them to do that far more than 20k, or whatever the capacity is these days, does. This is basic supply and demand, with supply being further limited in a smaller build. That's why sports are generally trending in this direction - you can see this in almost every new building the NHL enters.

Yes, Ottawa has had days where demand was significant and tickets were tough to get, but Ottawa has also had days where demand was so soft that tickets could be got for basically free, which is how I went to as many Senators games as I did. Part of that was down to location, part of that was down to the owner scuttling fan interest, and part of that was the arena being too large. The point in building a smaller building (downtown) is that it'll be easier for them to get to that sellout figure earlier.

[rocketphish]

Chris Phillips steps back into the picture as Senators repair corporate relationships

Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen
Sep 07, 2022 • 47 minutes ago • 2 minute read

The official return of Chris Phillips to the Ottawa Senators organization is another positive piece in the club’s rebranding exercise.

Phillips is now the Senators new vice president of business operations, working to help repair long lost relationships with the city’s corporate community.

Back in July, 2021, Phillips, who holds the franchise record for most games played, abruptly resigned as executive director of the Senators Community Foundation, following a dispute with late Senators owner Eugene Melnyk.

“Honestly, it’s something that I was thinking about and I’m excited to be involved with, to work with some of the top executives of the organization to try and learn the business,” he said.

While Phillips has been busy with other projects outside of hockey, including real estate, he laughed at suggestions that those endeavours helped him land the new gig.

“Little things like that certainly help, but I don’t know if needed that on my resume. My games played (1,179) might have been on the resume,” he said.

Phillips, who was a major part of the dominant Senators squads at the turn of century, says he can feel the buzz of excitement in the air from everyone, including the corporate community that had a strained relationship with Melnyk.

As part of the new job, Phillips is also receiving a first-hand look at the massive project to potentially build a new arena at LeBreton Flats.

“There really has just been a steady release of positive stories, which is, to be quite honest, a nice change.”

In addition to the return of Phillips, fellow long-time popular Senator Chris Neil has been promoted to vice-president of business and community development. Neil is also a big part of the organization’s renewed commitment to re-establishing trust with the corporate community.

All of the above naturally gives rise to questions of whether Daniel Alfredsson would ever return to the Senators in an official capacity.

Alfredsson spent less than two years as senior advisor of hockey operations before resigning in 2017 in a clash with Melnyk.

Alfredssson, the most popular player in franchise history, was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the summer. Before Alfredsson is officially inducted into the Hall in November, the Senators will pay tribute in a pre-game ceremony.

Asked if he might play a role in bringing Alfredsson back to the front office, Phillips said, “if I do that, maybe they’ll give me a statue.”

kwarren@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/phillips-steps-back-into-the-picture-as-senators-rebrand-their-business-operations/wcm/db6ad5dc-5a94-46ba-bdce-f8403996d0d1

[GeoNerd]

Because they're both NHL markets. I'm not sure why Calgary or Edmonton were raised, either, because each market typically has its own unique facets. The point I was making was that the Leafs are the model that all NHL teams in Canada should strive towards because they've been able to maximize revenues on tickets (which typically means selling ones soul to corporate interests in the process). Other markets will get as close as they can dependant on market size and demand, but all that matters at the end of the day for these teams is making money and franchise valuation, with the occasionally upside of maybe winning a Stanley Cup once a generation.

You seem to be looking at this from an ownership perspective which is odd. The Leafs might be successful financially, but they are a complete failure from a fans perspective and are 100% NOT the model that all NHL teams in Canada should strive towards. They are the gold standard of a corporate greed, that doesn't value the fan experience, and have a long history of putting an abysmal, almost embarrassing product on ice.

Calgary and Edmonton were brought up because they have similar market size to Ottawa. Comparing the Toronto market is just nonsensical. That's like comparing the Blue Jays market to the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers markets and saying everyone should strive to be the Yankees or Dodgers. Some teams are content being the Blue Jays.

[JHikka]

You seem to be looking at this from an ownership perspective which is odd.
It's franchise for-profit sports. The goal is to make money.

The Leafs might be successful financially, but they are a complete failure from a fans perspective and are 100% NOT the model that all NHL teams in Canada should strive towards.
And yet here they still are with many, many fans.

Calgary and Edmonton were brought up because they have similar market size to Ottawa. Comparing the Toronto market is just nonsensical. That's like comparing the Blue Jays market to the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers markets and saying everyone should strive to be the Yankees or Dodgers. Some teams are content being the Blue Jays.
So we shouldn't be comparing UBS Arena in New York to the new arena in Ottawa, then, right?

[rocketphish]

LeBlanc says exciting off-season has paid off at the box office for the Senators
"There's an excitement, there's a pent-up demand. I've been part of this community for more than 30 years and I can't remember a time where, at this point in the season, we're seeing as much optimism."

Bruce Garrioch, Otawa Citizen
Sep 07, 2022 • 3 hours ago • 4 minute read

The moves the Ottawa Senators have made in the off-season have paid off in ticket sales for the upcoming year.

As the Senators prepare to open training camp Sept. 21 at the Canadian Tire Centre, Anthony LeBlanc, the club’s president of business operations, told reporters during a news conference Wednesday that season-ticket sales are up 60 per cent from 2019.

Business has been good after the roster moves made by general manager Pierre Dorion this summer. The club acquired forwards Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat, along with goaltender Cam Talbot.

Centre Josh Norris signed an eight-year deal and, just for good measure, centre Tim Stutzle also signed an extension just as the news conference was wrapping up.

“The changes that have happened on the ice have really reflected (in what’s happened off the ice),” said LeBlanc. “The changes we’ve seen on the business side are a result of the great work being done in the hockey department.

“There’s an excitement, there’s a pent-up demand. I’ve been part of this community for more than 30 years and I can’t remember a time where, at this point in the season, we’re seeing as much optimism and as much excitement as we’re seeing today.

“On the season-seat front, it’s remarkable to see the increase with more than a 60 per cent increase over where we were the last couple of years. That’s huge for us.”

LeBlanc said confidently as a result of the reaction from the community he expects “we’re going to see more sellouts here than we have in the last five years.”

“The number of corporate sponsors we’ve had return in the last six months has been remarkable,” LeBlanc said. “These are people that are getting excited because of what they expect this team is going to be able to do. On the business front, we couldn’t be happier in regards to seat sales and with more sponsorships.

“Don’t get me wrong, we still have tickets to sell, but we’re looking for the fan base to get more re-engaged than they have to date. We feel the job that has been done in the last several months shows the commitment (from the organization).”

The club was ranked last in the league in attendance last season. It should be noted the organization went through a lengthy stretch where the building was completely empty because of stringent COVID-19 rules in Ontario.

The Senators want to get to a place where they create a demand for their tickets, and they’re slowly making their way back. The club also announced several themed nights and marketing initiatives as part of what was rolled out during the news conference Wednesday.

“The number of sellouts we’re projecting will be considerably above what we’ve seen in the last four or five years,” LeBlanc said. “That’s what we need to get to. We’ve got to get to the point where this is the ‘must have’ ticket in this community. The thing is that’s not an unrealistic expectation because that used to be the case.

“I was season-ticket holder until I moved to Arizona. Those were the glory days as far as I’m concerned, and I think we’re moving back towards that.”

LeBlanc said he isn’t sure how many games will be sold out and is making his comments judging by the reaction in the community.

“Opening night we’re expecting a sellout,” said LeBlanc. “Are we going to have some games that are a little bit lighter on the attendance side? I think we probably will because that’s just the nature of the schedule in the early part of the year.

“As I look and project where this is going to go throughout the season is that season-seat base will continue to increase. You can’t talk about playoffs yet, but if there are meaningful games being played into February, March and April, that’s when you really see the season-seat base increase. The season for selling season seats as you come into the end of the season.

“It will absolutely be a different environment than what we’ve seen the last two years.”

LeBlanc said the DeBrincat deal in July changed the thinking among the fan base.

“We just haven’t had that kind of excitement,” LeBlanc said. “For us to be able to do that and then continue to do everything else that was done, by bringing Claude Giroux in and all the changes that I’ve seen Pierre make. I haven’t had a chance to be part of that previously.

“Overall, this summer, it’s been a good and steady stream of good news.”

The club is also trying to get the alumni more involved. Longtime defenceman Chris Phillips returned to the organization as the VP of business operations Wednesday while Chris Neil is now the VP of business development.

The organization has had conversations with former captain Daniel Alfredsson, but it sounds doubtful he’ll be back in any formal capacity. LeBlanc indicated that Alfredsson’s interest may be in the hockey side of the operation.

“We continue to have conversations with Daniel, but that’s more of a conversation for (Dorion). Any way that we can work with Daniel, and any way that he can be involved, I’m all supportive,” said LeBlanc.

BGarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter: @sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-leblanc-says-exciting-off-season-has-paid-off-at-the-box-office-for-the-senators

[GeoNerd]

It's franchise for-profit sports. The goal is to make money.

So we shouldn't be comparing UBS Arena in New York to the new arena in Ottawa, then, right?

Yes, obviously in franchise for-profit sports ONE of the goals is to make money. Except that most owners are billionaires and team ownership is a hobby or bragging right, not a main source of income. Another reason why faceless corporate teams that focus solely on profits are so terrible.

We were complementing the UBS Arena itself, not comparing Ottawa's market to the greater New York City area. Not sure what you're implying there. Honestly, your arguments have gone from obscure/bizarre to plain incoherent. I'm not following what your point is to any of this. So I'm going to leave it here.

[DTcrawler]

Feels like news surrounding this team always comes in bunches, though lately it's all positive news so I'll take it.

RE: Stützle... wow, what a deal. Yes, you could technically call it an overpay based on his career accomplishments to date, but anyone who watches him regularly knows it will become a bargain quickly. Personally, I'm glad I'll be able to watch him light it up with new linemates DeBrincat and Giroux without having to worry how f*cked we'll be when it comes time to sign him. I could easily see him being worth $9M+ by next offseason.

RE: Arena capacity, I have to say anywhere in the 16K range feels a tad small. I can understand the economics of it, but I think you have to count on the Sens becoming a draw to the same degree they were in the 2000s and the fact the market will grow. Personally, I would love anything from 17-17.5K. Anything north of 18K might be too much, especially if the trends about an overall decrease in attendance at sporting events is true. No matter the size, the arena must be world class. Rogers Place in Edmonton should serve as a guide. If Edmonton can get an arena like that, no reason we shouldn't be able to.

RE: Ticket demand, this has to be the best news of all. There are no more reasons to fault the Sens for any poor attendance, the ball is fully back in the court of the market. I've picked up a few pairs of tickets for a few games already and plan to go back for more as the season gets closer. Curious to know, how many in this forum attend Sens games?

[phil235]

Curious to know, how many in this forum attend Sens games?

I've had a 10 or 20 -game pack for about 15 years, so I see lots of games every season. Perhaps out of step with the rest of the city, I haven't renewed this year because I was quite irritated about how they treated package-holders last year (essentially they refused to let me upgrade games despite the fact that they were drawing 9000 fans a game and I could buy the better tickets as a random person going up to the box office - they literally wouldn't take my money). Haven't heard anything from them other than a form email, which leads me to believe that they haven't resolved all of their issues as an organization.

I'm sure I'll buy some tickets again this year, but for now I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face.

[YOWflier]

I’ve had tickets, anywhere from 1/4 season to full season depending on circumstances, since the Sens’ rebirth, except for a 4 year gap when I had babies (in those years I only went to 1-2 games).

[OTSkyline]

All good and exciting news for sure. Looking forward to attending a few games this upcoming season.

On capacity, that's a tough one. I wonder just how much demand lift we will see, all things being equal, only considering the move to downtown. That was always a big deterrent for people (traffic and parking nightmares) and not necessarily being able to go to a game, last minute, on a whim. All of that changes with a new downtown location. If you think prior to the past 5 years we were consistently drawing over 18K, 16K might be a bit short-sighted.

And yes, the Senators will be the main tenants, but hopefully Ottawa starts attracting more concerts, shows & sporting events too. We used to have most good shows and tours stop at the Canadian Tire Centre but since a few years (I'd say maybe the past 5), I've been disappointed time and time again when the majority of concert tours skip Ottawa and only go to Montreal & Toronto (which wasn't the case previously). Either we are not worthy or you need to drive & plan a weekend in either city.

[J.OT13]

Phil pointed this out earlier. From the article posted on the LeBreton thread:

“That 16,000 to 16,500 is probably a great bowl capacity for the Senators,” LeBlanc said.
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9724311&postcount=648

So if that's the capacity of the bowl alone, maybe we can assume 17k to 18k, if that helps ease some minds.

[J.OT13]

Found an article providing background on funding for all active NHL arenas.

Exploring how the Calgary Flames’ new arena could be funded
Khalid Keshavjee, September 8, 2022

It is no secret that the Calgary Flames are in desperate need of a new arena to play out of. The Saddledome is the oldest NHL arena in the league that has not undergone a major renovation, and it seems more likely that the team and the city opt to tear it down and build a new barn as opposed to undergoing substantial fixes to the space.

The big hurdle has been—as it seems to always be—in arena funding. Simply, who is going to pay for it? Between the cost of the land, the cost to build the building, tying in to city roadways and utilities, property taxes, and ongoing maintenance, this is a far more complex question than just to say CSEC or the City should pay.

The six other Canadian markets have all gone through the process of building arenas, and each one went through the process slightly differently. Some received lots of public funding, while others received little to none. Let’s start with the original Flames arena, then look at the other six arenas to help determine which models may make the most sense for the Flames.

The original Saddledome arrangement
The Saddledome was completed and opened in 1983 as part of Calgary’s hosting of the 1988 Olympics. The cost of the arena was split three ways between the City of Calgary, Province of Alberta, and Government of Canada, each paying around $30 million. Five million dollars came from the Olympic Organizing Committee

Expected to initially cost $60 million, the drive to get the building completed quickly combined with construction delays, especially around the unique roof designed, pushed the cost up to a total of $97.7 million. The city and province ended up paying the difference, pushing their share in the project’s cost higher than the Federal Governments.

The arena has changed names a few times, and has undergone some renovations over the years. The first was in 1994, to add more luxury boxes and premium seats. This was paid for by city council using federal infrastructure money. The team opposed a ticket surcharge to fund this improvement.

The other big improvement came after the 2013 floods which took out the event level, scoreboard, and the first eight rows of seating. This was an insurance claim, and took over 650,000 man hours to have the arena back up and running for the start of the 2013–14 season.

The now-scrapped Event Centre proposal was estimated to cost $608.5 million, and would have been funded by the city and the team on a split basis, with the team keeping the lion’s share of the revenue but agreeing to cover operations and maintenance of the facility and not have to pay municipal property taxes. CSEC would also agree to keep the Flames in Calgary and donate money to community sports and other programming in the city.

Toronto Maple Leafs
The land on which the current Scotiabank Arena sits was initially home to a postal facility owned and operated by Canada Post. It was initially purchased by the Toronto Raptors in 1993 to be their first official home.

At the same time the Leafs were looking for a new home as Maple Leaf Gardens, originally constructed in the 1930s, was getting to be too old to function. After much back and forth, bad blood, and infighting, the Raptors were bought by Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL Now MLSE), who then built the arena.

Initially expected to cost $217 million, MLGL upped the budget to $265 million and finished the project in 24 months. The Scotiabank Arena website touts that the project used no public funds in its construction, and the arena pays taxes to the province to the tune of between $2 and $3 million a year. A ticket surcharge helps cover the cost of arena maintenance on an ongoing basis.

Ottawa Senators
The Canadian Tire Centre was opened in 1996 and is owned and operated by the team (albeit as a subsidiary). Unlike any of the other major arenas in this country, the home of the Senators is located in Kanata, once a separate city and now a part of Ottawa, as opposed to in the downtown of Canada’s capital.

The arena funding structure was unique in Canadian arena funding models. The team received a six million dollar grant from the federal government and borrowed the remaining $188 million to fund the arena through a number of banks and other financial institutions. The team actually did not have enough money to pay for the highway interchange to the arena, and had to take a loan from the provincial government for that portion.

Interesting one of the lenders went into receivership in 2001 and as a result Terrace Corporation, the then owner of the team, was expected to pay back the loan, but was unable to refinance the arena debt to pull out the capital to do so. This led to Terrace going bankrupt in 2003 and to the late Eugene Melnyk purchasing the team and arena.

The team has long argued that they need to move to a new location closer to downtown Ottawa. There has been talks to move to a piece of land owned by the federal government in Lebreton Flats, and the Senators have recently won a bid to develop the land from the National Capital Commission.

Montreal Canadiens
The current owners of the Montreal Canadiens, the Molson Family, built and paid for the development of the Bell Centre which opened in 1996. The building cost $270 million to build, but due to heavy operating losses, the family sold the team and arena for major losses relative to the cost of construction.

Interestingly, the family bought back both assets in 2009 for $500 million together. This was funded privately except for a $100 million loan from the Quebec Finance Minister.

The family pays both property and business taxes to the municipality while also paying rent annually on the use of the space.

Winnipeg Jets
Newly-renamed, the Canada Life Centre was opened in 2004, a full seven years before the NHL team returned to the city in 2011. It is owned and operated by True North Sports & Entertainment, who own the Jets.

Located right in downtown Winnipeg, the arena is a public-private partnership, which saw $40 million contributed collectively by the three levels of government. The remaining $93 million came from Truth North. The municipality also offered tax breaks to the team and the province gives the team up to $4 million in VLT revenue annually. On top of all of this, the province pledge $1.5 million a year for 20 years to help the team minimize its debt on the arena.

Edmonton Oilers
One of the newest arenas in the league, Rogers Place in Edmonton was built both to house the Oilers but also to help revitalize the area now known as the Ice District.

Its funding model reflects this. Of the $613.7 million it cost to build, $145 million came from a community revitalization levy, a mechanism which allowed the city to borrow against future property tax revenue to help fund this project. A further $25 million from this levy funded the land, while $61 million funded other parts of this project including the LRT connection, community arena, and more.

The team also imposed an arena surcharge for events, which added $125 million to cover the cost of the arena. Incremental revenues such as parking and new taxes covered $81 million of the arena.

The Oilers through the Edmonton Arena Corporation added $136.48 million to cover the cost of building the arena. They also gave a million dollars for the land, and additional funding to build the Winter Garden and community arena.

Collectively, the City of Edmonton gave $312.5 million to cover the cost of the arena while the Oilers paid $166 million and then the remaining $125 million will come from the ticket surcharge.

The Edmonton Arena Corporation pays property taxes on the space while also covering the cost of operating expenses. They keep all earned revenue on events in the space, but the owner of the arena is the City of Edmonton.

Vancouver Canucks
Rogers Arena was opened in 1995, and was built for about $160 million. It was paid for in full by the owners of the team at the time, Arthur Griffiths and John McCaw. The land for the arena was purchased in 1993 for $12 million by the owners.

Originally planned to be home to both the Canucks and Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA, but both were sold in bankruptcy in 1997. The only public funding as part of the arena were for transportation routes in planning for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics by the province, fifteen years after it opened.

What makes most sense for the Flames?
It would be very easy to say that the team should bite the bullet just like the Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Canucks did and build their own arena and pay for it themselves. The reality on the ground is that the team quite simply won’t go for it and the precedent has been set in the city for it to be some sort of public-private partnership. Call it cheap, call it fair, it is what it is.

The Oilers model probably makes the most sense for the Flames. Assuming they build the arena on the north side of Stampede Park, the city can use that as an anchor to help develop that side of the city more substantially the way they did with East Village over the last decade. This may also allow them to utilize a community revitalization levy like the Oilers did with their arena.

While the team has resisted in the past, the model should also include a ticket surcharge. While many in the city are fans, it’s unfair to split the city’s portion of the building with the entire city. As an amenity, just like a recreation center or arena, those who use it should pay a portion towards the development of the building. How the team chooses to build this into the cost of the ticket, explicitly or implicitly, it should definitely be included.

There will almost certainly also be an upcharge in parking and other services on site, which would also go towards funding the new arena.

The municipality and province should also explore providing low interest loans to the team to cover the cost of the arena as opposed to just funding the cost of the development like how Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre was built. This would minimize the cost of the arena to the city’s taxpayers, and would be far more economical for the team than having to spend their own capital on developing the new arena. It would also be at a very minimal interest rate, which is likely cheaper than borrowing from anywhere else on the market.

It seems unlikely that either side will walk away from this deal. The Flames know that they need a new arena and the City would like to keep the team in town. Both sides know the financial impacts of not building a new home for the Flames and should work together to make this happen. Other Canadian teams provide a welcome starting point for how the Flames could fund their new arena, but it all comes down to how both sides negotiate to develop this deal.

For Flames fans, we can all hope that the new arena produces as many magical moments as the Saddledome did. An iconic part of this city’s heritage and skyline, when the new arena does get built, its ever-present spot in our city’s skyline will not soon be forgotten.

https://thewincolumn.ca/2022/09/08/exploring-how-the-calgary-flames-new-arena-could-be-funded/

[J.OT13]

It just keeps getting better.

The Ottawa Senators Foundation is back, in another sign of stability returning to organization

Ken Warren, Postmedia
September 20, 2022

For years, it was hard not to draw parallels between the state of the Ottawa Senators and the mess of all the massive construction projects throughout the city.

Sometimes, the Senators looked like they were on a road to nowhere, losing connections to a healthy portion of the fan base and the corporate community in the process.

It wasn’t just about not winning games as the team embarked on the painful rebuilding process under general manager Pierre Dorion and coach D.J. Smith.

It was also about all the broken relationships between late owner Eugene Melnyk and the community groups and associations that once created so much civic pride.

Now, though, the mood — on the ice and in the city — has changed.

Endless words have been spilled about the enthusiasm created by the summer additions of Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot, along with the long-term contract extensions signed by Josh Norris and Tim Stutzle.

Giroux and fellow alternate captain Thomas Chabot even dared mention the “p” word — playoffs — when the question of expectations was raised.

With that wave of excitement in the air, Senators director of business operations Anthony LeBlanc is confidently predicting that the Oct. 18 home opener against the Boston Bruins will be a sellout, with more full houses to follow.

At the same time, there was much more to Tuesday’s season opening charity golf tournament than an introduction to the 2022-23 team.

There was also the re-introduction of the Ottawa Senators Foundation, which has always served as a good will operation in helping get money and resources from the organization to those most in need, especially disadvantaged and troubled youth.

Thus ends another ugly chapter in team history.

In July, 2020, the Foundation cut official ties with the team in a dispute that included the Senators claiming the charity was an inefficient operation.

In the past few months, though, the Senators have re-built the bridge connecting the team to the city to the causes that matter most.

While the hunt is still on for an official executive director to run the Foundation, Roger Neilson House and the Youth Services Bureau are among those benefitting immediately.

“This is obviously a very important day for us,” said LeBlanc. “Everyone talks about the fact the club had a great summer (signing players), which we did, but I would say that re-launching the foundation is just as important, if not more important, when you think about it from a community aspect.

“That’s our biggest thing right now…it’s giving back to the community, re-ingraining ourselves with the community. (Tuesday) is very important.”

During pandemic times, it was difficult, if not impossible, for anyone, including players, to engage in face-to-face meetings with charitable groups.

With the air clearing now, though, the Senators are promising to be more involved in helping out where they can.

The Youth Services Bureau is grateful for all the support in helping youth deal with employment and justice issues, along with all the anxiety, trauma and, sometimes, suicidal thoughts, associated with mental illness.

With the return of the Senators Foundation, a cloud has been removed and the mood is upbeat.

The connection with the Senators creates more visibility for their efforts.

“Oh, I definitely feel it,” said Patti Murphy, executive director of the Youth Services Bureau. “I feel it with the hockey club. I feel that excitement, with hockey being fully back. The Foundation has been partners with us for a very long time. And so the relaunch is all about excitement and obviously giving back to some truly worthy causes.”

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/the-ottawa-senators-foundation-is-back-in-another-sign-of-stability-returning-to-organization

[J.OT13]

Wonder if there's a jersey sponsor in the works.

Playing in the big leagues: Kinaxis inks helmet sponsorship deal with Sens

David Sali, OBJ
October 4, 2022

https://obj.ca/sites/default/files/styles/article_main/public/2022-10/kinaxis.jpg?itok=OaaH_2uF

Kanata-based software giant Kinaxis didn’t have to look far to find its newest business partner.

The Ottawa Senators announced Tuesday that the publicly traded tech firm’s logo will appear on the NHL club’s white road helmets for the next three seasons. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The firm’s logo will make its debut on Thursday, Oct. 13 when the Senators open their regular-season schedule in Buffalo against the Sabres.

“This represents an exciting new partnership with a local success story that operates on the global stage,” Senators president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc said in a statement.

The new agreement – Kinaxis’s first with a professional sports franchise – would seem to be a natural fit for the two organizations, which are practically next-door neighbours.

Kinaxis recently moved into a new 160,000-square-foot headquarters at 3199 Palladium Dr., just a few hundred metres west of the Senators’ home arena, the Canadian Tire Centre. When the Sens approached Kinaxis officials a few weeks ago about becoming the team’s road helmet sponsor, the firm jumped at the opportunity.

“We loved it immediately,” Megan Paterson, the company’s chief human resources officer, told OBJ. “That hometown connection was really, really important to us.”

Paterson noted that CEO John Sicard has been striving to achieve “greater brand awareness” for Kinaxis, which has seen demand for its supply-chain management software soar during the pandemic.

Now, the company’s logo will appear on TV screens across Canada and the U.S. every time captain Brady Tkachuk and his fellow Sens get a closeup during a road game. Kinaxis will also receive ad space on the boards and the digital display ring at the Canadian Tire Centre as part of the deal.

That kind of exposure will go a long way to raising the firm’s profile among both potential customers and employees, Paterson said.

“All of these people that are going to be watching and seeing our logo and maybe Googling Kinaxis after seeing it,” she said. “It’s a little bit to measure ROI, but I can tell you, today since the press release went out, my phone is blowing up.”

The deal is yet another sign of Kinaxis’s rising status in the tech world.

Hundreds of global enterprises, including multinational brands like Cisco, Ford and Unilever, use the Kanata firm’s software to ensure they have enough inventory on hand to get their products to market on time. About one-third of Kinaxis’s 1,600 employees live in the Ottawa area.

The company generated more than $80 million in revenues in the second quarter ending June 30, a 35 per cent increase from the previous year. Kinaxis is now projecting revenues of between $355 million and $365 million for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, up $10 million from its previous forecast in May – marking the second time the firm has revised its projection upward in 2022.

The company’s shares closed the day up $2.09 at $140.78 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

https://obj.ca/index.php/article/local/sports-and-entertainment/playing-big-leagues-kinaxis-inks-helmet-sponsorship-deal

[JHikka]

The running joke was that the jersey/helmet sponsor would be Giant Tiger or something equivalent.

[MountainView]

I think gaining sponsorships from local companies bodes really well for other corporate sponsors and ticket sales this year.

Kinaxis is one of the biggest local tech companies and they just recently finished their new corporate offices a stones-throw away from the CTC.

This is much better than an online casino or betting company being on the helmet... let's just wait and see if they put one of those on the home helmets where they would be allowed to wear them for all games since online betting is legal in Ontario.

Last year they had BET99 on their black, home helmets.

My pure gut instinct tells me that the Sens have probably had offers from betting companies or others like Bell/CT but Anthony Leblanc (President of Business Ops) has said that he wants to connect to local (tech) companies in Kanata and Ottawa this year. This Kinaxis signing seems to point in that direction as well. It might not only be about the value of the sponsorship ads right now, but perhaps selling more seats and corporate lodges.

[J.OT13]

The running joke was that the jersey/helmet sponsor would be Giant Tiger or something equivalent.

I think gaining sponsorships from local companies bodes really well for other corporate sponsors and ticket sales this year.

Kinaxis is one of the biggest local tech companies and they just recently finished their new corporate offices a stones-throw away from the CTC.

This is much better than an online casino or betting company being on the helmet... let's just wait and see if they put one of those on the home helmets where they would be allowed to wear them for all games since online betting is legal in Ontario.

Last year they had BET99 on their black, home helmets.

My pure gut instinct tells me that the Sens have probably had offers from betting companies or others like Bell/CT but Anthony Leblanc (President of Business Ops) has said that he wants to connect to local (tech) companies in Kanata and Ottawa this year. This Kinaxis signing seems to point in that direction as well. It might not only be about the value of the sponsorship ads right now, but perhaps selling more seats and corporate lodges.

In that same vein, Giant Tigre WOULD be a good fit.

Too bad we'll never again see the name "COREL" on any of the Sens ad space.

[DTcrawler]

I think gaining sponsorships from local companies bodes really well for other corporate sponsors and ticket sales this year.

Kinaxis is one of the biggest local tech companies and they just recently finished their new corporate offices a stones-throw away from the CTC.

This is much better than an online casino or betting company being on the helmet... let's just wait and see if they put one of those on the home helmets where they would be allowed to wear them for all games since online betting is legal in Ontario.

Last year they had BET99 on their black, home helmets.

My pure gut instinct tells me that the Sens have probably had offers from betting companies or others like Bell/CT but Anthony Leblanc (President of Business Ops) has said that he wants to connect to local (tech) companies in Kanata and Ottawa this year. This Kinaxis signing seems to point in that direction as well. It might not only be about the value of the sponsorship ads right now, but perhaps selling more seats and corporate lodges.

The Sens are still sporting BET99 on their black helmets based on what I've seen in preseason. Last year they didn't have a helmet sponsor for their road uniforms, so I'd imagine Kinaxis will be new for this year while BET99 will stay until the end of their agreement, however long it was signed for. AFAIK, the jersey ads remain vacant for both home/away uniforms.

[J.OT13]

GARRIOCH: Senators honour the memory of Eugene Melnyk with unveiling of banner

Bruce Garrioch, Postmedia
Oct 20, 2022

Somewhere, up there in the heavens, the late Eugene Melnyk has a front row seat for every Ottawa Senators’ game with Bryan Murray in the closest easy chair.

Before dropping the puck against the Washington Capitals Thursday night, the Senators honoured the memory of the club’s late owner, who passed away in March at 62-years-old after a lengthy illness, with a touching video that highlighted Melnyk’s accomplishments on and off the ice.

Anne and Olivia took part in the ceremonial faceoff at centre ice and in the video that also talked about his charity work.

Then, the organization unveiled a banner in the rafters of the Canadian Tire Centre with the Melnyk’s initials to remember the man who saved the franchise in 2003.

“My dad was very passionate about winning. It was his No. 1 priority when he owned the Senators,” Anna said in the video. “He also loved being part of the community and inspiring kids … He was also the best dad ever. Family was his No. 1 and the Senators were a close second.”

After Melnyk’s passing last spring, the Senators wore the patch with his initials on their jersey for the balance of the season. The banner, which has “EM” in white on a black background with a red flag, is way to retire the patch and honour the commitment he made to this city.

When Rod Bryden handed the keys over to the NHL, anybody that expressed interest wanted to put this franchise on wheels and move it elsewhere. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was determined to keep the team in Ottawa and Melnyk was the right person at the right time.

All Melnyk ever wanted was to a win a Stanley Cup. The club came close by going to the final against the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, he chased that dream right up until the day he passed. The decision to go into a full rebuild in 2018 wasn’t easy but he felt it had to be done.

He heard a lot of criticism when GM Pierre Dorion moved key players for young assets, but the work done for the past five years is about to pay dividends. The plan was to surround the young core with better players this season and we saw those moves in the off-season.

Those closest to him would tell you he’d love to be part of this but he’d also be thrilled Anna and Olivia are here to carry on the family legacy.

This was one of the busiest off-seasons in franchise history. Not only did Dorion acquire Alex DeBrincat, sign Claude Giroux and deal for goalie Cam Talbot, the Senators also learned former captain Daniel Alfredsson will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame next month.

The club also won preferred bidder status to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats. Erin Crowe, the club’s chief financial officers, and Anthony LeBlanc, Ottawa’s president of business operations, have been working regularly with National Capital Commission officials.

Crowe, LeBlanc and Dorion report to a three-person board that was put in place to run the franchise by Melnyk. Sheldon Plener, a Toronto-based lawyer, along with alternate governor Larry Zeifman and consultant John Miszuk are helping to run the franchise on behalf of the family.

The No. 1 goal was re-invigorate the brand of the franchise. That has been achieved with improvements on the ice. Now, they’ve got 11 months to get a lease in place for LeBreton Flats and that work is continuing daily behind the scenes.

Two weeks ago, representatives of the partners in the LeBreton project were in town to meet with LeBlanc, Crowe and NCC officials.

My guess is they’ll be watching the results of the municipal election Monday closely because at some point I would guess they’ll have to sit down with whoever replaces outgoing Mayor Jim Watson in the coming months to discuss whatever role the city will play in the LeBreton project.

The mayor of Ottawa has a seat on the NCC’s board of directors so the city is going to be involved one way or another.

There have been no decisions made on the future of the franchise. After the board of governors meeting Monday in New York, Bettman told reporters the organization was operating normally and there’s been no disruption to the business.

Anna and Olivia are taking advice from their mother, Laura, financial advisors put in place by Melnyk along with independent council to determine next steps. He didn’t just own the Senators, there’s several other businesses, including a line of beauty care products, a concussion recovery company and real estate.

Bettman and the league have been respectful of the fact Anna and Olivia are grieving the loss of their father. The NHL wants them to have as much time as they need to determine what’s next and the annual Melnyk Skate for Kids will return during the holiday season.

“He passed the passion of hockey down to us,” Olivia said about her father. “We’re hoping that will continue for a long time and I don’t think that’s something that ever leaves you. We’re very excited for the season ahead.”

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-senators-honour-the-memory-of-eugene-melnyk-with-unveiling-of-banner

[AuxTown]

I thought the banner was a weird move. I fully expected to honour their former owner with a ceremony but I don't know if other organizations have lifted a banner to the rafters for their deceased former owner. I guess we have to hang something up there....

[J.OT13]

I thought the banner was a weird move. I fully expected to honour their former owner with a ceremony but I don't know if other organizations have lifted a banner to the rafters for their deceased former owner. I guess we have to hang something up there....

Whatever happened to the ring of honour? They made a big deal about that years ago, inducted Murray, and then nothing.

[phil235]

I thought the banner was a weird move. I fully expected to honour their former owner with a ceremony but I don't know if other organizations have lifted a banner to the rafters for their deceased former owner. I guess we have to hang something up there....

I was at a game in Columbus this year. They have a banner for McConnell, their deceased owner. (Although arguably beyond Rick Nash, they really have nothing else to hang.)

[J.OT13]

GARRIOCH: Report indicates the Ottawa Senators may be putting up a 'For Sale' sign soon

Bruce Garrioch, Post Media
Nov 01, 2022

Are the Ottawa Senators about to put up a ‘For Sale’ sign at the Canadian Tire Centre?

According to a report, the franchise may be headed in that direction.

In an article released Tuesday morning on the value of all 32 NHL teams, Los Angeles-based Sportico reported the Senators’ board of directors have “already interviewed self-side bankers” and “there is significant interest in the franchise”.

“The Ottawa Senators are widely expected to be the next team to sell,” the article stated.

A spokesperson for the Senators said the organization has no comment on the report.

For those who don’t know, “self-side bankers” are advisors to the board of directors running the team on behalf of the Melnyk family. Those bankers would act as intermediaries to solicit bids which means they essentially act as a real estate agent for the team.

This is the first time since the passing of Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk there has been any talk publicly the team may be sold. The franchise is part of the massive estate Melnyk left to his daughters, Anna and Olivia, and it has been operating business as usual since his death in March.

The report valued the franchise at $655 million (all figures U.S.), a rise of 21% from last year, but league sources told this newspaper that figure isn’t even close to what the franchise will be worth if the Melnyk family does decide to sell a portion or all of its stake in the team.

The Nashville Predators are about to sell for $775 million and the Seattle Kraken paid $650 in an expansion fee to get into the league. That means the value of an established Ottawa franchise will be much higher than the $655 million label that Sportico put on it.

In June, the Senators won preferred bidder status from the National Capital Commission to build a new rink at LeBreton Flats. The organization signed a memorandum of understanding with the NCC at the time and now has until next September to get a lease in place for the land.

That work to finalize the rink bid is continuing daily behind scenes

Last month, representatives of the partners in the LeBreton project were in town to meet with Anthony LeBlanc, the club’s president of business operations, chief financial officer Erin Crowe and NCC officials. Former Senators’ defenceman Chris Phillips, the club’s VP of business operations, has also played a role in the bid at LeBreton.

The partnership includes Sterling Project Development, Populous, Tipping Point Sports and Live Nation. All are well-funded and have experience in building rinks. NCC chief executive officer Tobi Nussbaum noted the depth of the club’s partnership group gave the Senators the edge.

If the lease is in place then you have to think this team will sell for closer to the $900 million to $1 billion range if the Melnyk family determines it wants to go that route. If they want to hold onto the team, they will need a partner to help them build the rink.

It’s possible one of those partners in the LeBreton bid may be among the interested parties if the Senators do go up for sale.

Of course, this is going to set off speculation of who’s interested but it’s not even known if the Melnyk family has made any firm decision.

Local businessman Roger Greenberg told CTV Ottawa in the weeks after Melnyk’s death he was interested in being involved with a group. He’s a partner in the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group which owns the CFL’s Ottawa RedBlacks and the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s.

There’s been talk in local business circles Farmboy executive Jeff York has met with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and has a group in place. He was part of the other bid with Andre Desmarais of Power Corp. at LeBreton Flats in 2016.

We’ve heard these local names before but it wouldn’t surprise anybody if the team is sold it will be to people based in Toronto or the United States.

Still, this is all speculation because we don’t even know if the franchise is up for sale.

Anna and Olivia Melnyk have been doing their due-diligence before determining what’s next.

The Melnyks are taking advice from mother, Laura, the club’s financial advisors along with independent council to determine next steps. Their father didn’t just own the Senators, there’s several other businesses, including a line of beauty care products, a concussion recovery company and real estate.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the league have been respectful of the fact Anna and Olivia are grieving the loss of their father. The NHL wants them to have as much time as they need to determine what’s next and the annual Melnyk Skate for Kids will return during the holiday season.

The organization is being run by LeBlanc and Crowe on the business side while general manager Pierre Dorion is in charge of the club’s hockey operations.

The trio report to Sheldon Plener, a partner in the business law group at Cassels, longtime business associate Lawrence Zeifman and John Miszuk, the Senators’ chief administrative officer, have been directing the team since Melnyk passed away.

Plener and Ziefman had been with Melnyk for several years. The league office keeps in touch with Plener on a regular basis because he’s the executor of Melnyk’s estate.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-report-indicates-the-ottawa-senators-may-be-putting-up-a-for-sale-sign-soon

[J.OT13]

I somewhat hope that the Melnyk's don't sell outright. It would be nice to see them keep a stake in the franchise. That said, having a local like Greenberg (which would be ironic if the franchise was part of OSEG considering the Melnyk v. Ruddy rivalry) or York could have a stake. And/or former Ottawa Senators players such as Alfie or Phillips. Having any sort of local connection would keep a lot of our minds at ease.

[daud]

I somewhat hope that the Melnyk's don't sell outright. It would be nice to see them keep a stake in the franchise. That said, having a local like Greenberg (which would be ironic if the franchise was part of OSEG considering the Melnyk v. Ruddy rivalry) or York could have a stake. And/or former Ottawa Senators players such as Alfie or Phillips. Having any sort of local connection would keep a lot of our minds at ease.

I hear Lonnie Glieberman is interested. :haha:

Seriously though, if Laliberte and Desmarais are still in the bidding, they'll win it. They have more equity and OSEG has its hands full with lansdowne, but who knows!

[J.OT13]

I hear Lonnie Glieberman is interested. :haha:

Seriously though, if Laliberte and Desmarais are still in the bidding, they'll win it. They have more equity and OSEG has its hands full with lansdowne, but who knows!

Desmarais wouldn't be too bad. He does have some links to Ottawa.

[J.OT13]

Franchise values according to Sportico.

https://www.sportico.com/feature/nhl-team-values-ranking-list-1234693065/

Of note, Sens value rose 21% year over year, leading the NHL. Next highest appreciations were Florida, Columbus and Nashville, at 14%. We went up two spots to #27, ahead of Buffalo and Carolina. We're still way below the average worth of just over $1 Billion.

[J.OT13]

Now, it's apparently "official".

Ottawa Senators 'officially for sale:' report

Michael Woods, November 1, 2022
CTV News Ottawa

The Ottawa Senators have retained a bank to explore a sale of the team, sports business publication Sportico is reporting.

Late owner Eugene Melnyk’s family has hired Galatioti Sports Partners, a New York-based bank that provides advisory services to the sports industry. Sportico cited multiple people familiar with the plans, who were granted anonymity because the details are private.

Melnyk’s daughters Anna and Olivia took over the Senators after their father passed away in March due to illness. The franchise is being run by a three-person board of directors.

A Senators spokesperson told CTV News the organization has no comment on the report.

Sportico valued the Senators at $655 million U.S., a 21 per cent jump in the past year, the largest in the NHL.

It’s unclear how much the team would fetch in any potential sale. The Pittsburgh Penguins sold for a $900 million U.S. last year. The Nashville Predators are set to sell for $775 million U.S.

There is reportedly significant interest in the Senators. Roger Greenberg, the executive chairman of Minto Group and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, told CTV News in April his family would “likely participate” in new ownership if the team goes up for sale. OSEG owns the Redblacks and 67's.

In June, the Senators and the National Capital Commission reached a memorandum of understanding to build a new arena for the team at LeBreton Flats, just west of downtown Ottawa.

Members of Galatioto Sports Partners have been involved in more than 100 transactions for major North American and international sports franchises, according to its website.

Sportico launched in June 2020 and calls itself “the default resource for professionals seeking the latest and highest quality news and information in the $500 billion worldwide sports industry.”

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-senators-officially-for-sale-report-1.6134118?fbclid=IwAR1O_nV-CTTtPIQYxACFKLbvbm9Oi4MlEV1awADYKhX_wPSRF95jQlxGb9g

[rocketphish]

Ottawa Senators won't comment on report saying team could soon be for sale
NHL team hires sports banking firm to facilitate sale, says report

CBC News
Posted: Nov 01, 2022 2:03 PM ET | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

The Ottawa Senators are not commenting on a report published Tuesday that said the team's board of directors are lining up for a potential sale, months after the passing of owner Eugene Melnyk.

Los Angeles-based Sportico reports the Sens have hired Galatioto Sports Partners (GSP), a sport banking firm that acts as an arranger in sales of professional sports teams — like a real estate agent.

A spokesperson for the Ottawa Senators said the organization would not comment on the report.

Bruce Firestone, the team's founder, said via text it's probably time for a change.

"With the team on the upswing, there will likely be quite a bit of interest. My hope is that a local group will take over and I've spoken with a few who may participate," he said.

Firestone declined to offer more details about those local groups.

GSP president Sal Galatioto declined to comment. His company boasts that its staff have "acted in the capacity of financial advisor, arranger, agent, underwriter or participant in over 100 transactions and assignments in the major North American and international sports leagues."

There has been more traction of a potential sale of the Senators since the death of owner Eugene Melnyk, who left the team to his two daughters, Anna and Olivia.

The franchise has been run on their behalf by a board of directors for the past several months.

In May, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Melnyk's daughters will have to ultimately decide how they want to proceed.

"The franchise is being professionally run," Bettman told reporters. "The club's not on the market. There's no urgency. The club's not unstable. There are no problems."

It is still possible the Melnyk sisters want to retain a stake in the team their father loved.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-senators-for-sale-soon-report-says-1.6636780

[OTownandDown]

Can anyone say if this means the team will move?

[bartlebooth]

Can anyone say if this means the team will move?

They won't move. All reporting indicates they are staying in Ottawa. Historically, Bettman has been reluctant to move teams (look at Arizona), especially in a proven hockey market like Ottawa.

[Tesladom]

If Melnyk & Ruddy would have not screwed up the Rendez-vous Lebreton proposal, this franchise would be worth $1Billion. With the new arena plan, the Sens basically walked away from the real estate development plan (estimated at $5Billion) at Lebreton, instead they only have the 7 acre parcel.

The hockey and the arena is a loss leader to attract other commercial and residential development in the area. Sadly the Sens do not have any of this under the new proposal. I think this greatly diminishes the franchise value, and interest for potential buyers

[phil235]

The hockey and the arena is a loss leader to attract other commercial and residential development in the area. Sadly the Sens do not have any of this under the new proposal. I think this greatly diminishes the franchise value, and interest for potential buyers

Absolutely there was more value in the larger real estate deal that they had in 2016, but I think you are underestimating the value of an NHL franchise. Franchise values are based on a combination of factors, a big part of which are league wide revenue streams. The minimum seems to be about half a billion dollars these days, and a team in a Canadian market with a new arena is going to be well north of that. I've heard anywhere from $650 to 900 million as estimates of the Sens' value, so that indicates a pretty healthy market.

[rocketphish]

Multiple possibilities for new Senators owners, not all of them in Ottawa

Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Nov 02, 2022 • 6 minutes ago • 4 minute read

Several potential bidders have already thrown their hats into the ring to purchase the Ottawa Senators.

League sources say there will be multiple groups interested in buying the Senators once they’re formally put up for sale by Anna and Olivia Melnyk in the next month or so.

The Melnyk daughters are expected to keep a piece of the team out of respect for their late-father Eugene, who passed away in March after a lengthy illness.

While it will likely be a month before New York-based sports banker Galatioti Sports Partners officially begin speaking to potential Senators’ suitors, a league executive told this newspaper “there will be multiple groups” making a pitch.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman may already have someone in mind, but the organization has to go through the due-diligence process and make sure there’s somebody who’s willing to put their money where their mouth is once they’ve expressed an interest.

Here are some names this newspaper believes you should keep an eye on in the coming months:

Sources say Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who used to own a minority piece of the Pittsburgh Penguins before they sold to the Fenway Sports Group last year, have already expressed an interest in purchasing the Senators and being part of the LeBreton Flats project.

The Toronto-based brothers are on the board of the Harlo Financial Group, which invests in real estate, wealth management, and the entertainment industry. Michael Kimel is the head of the Chase Hospitality Group.

Michael Kimel recently founded OverActive Media, which invests in e-sports, and he also served on the management committee of the Penguins.

The Kimel family has the financial wherewithal to make a deal and the knowledge needed to help build LeBreton but they’re hardly alone on that front.

Another person who has been the subject of speculation is Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer.

The owner of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs also has a 20 per cent share in the Montreal Canadiens, and is said to covet controlling interest in his own NHL team. He’s also highly respected by Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

The owner of the Andlauer Group, which owns transport and logistics companies in Canada, he may have kicked the tires on the Ottawa franchise in the past.

Andre Desmarais of Montreal-based Power Corp, who had a link with the other group bidding for LeBreton Flats in 2016, may also dip his toe in the water.

The billionaire is close friends with Bettman and has expressed an interest in buying the Senators before.

Though we’ve heard that groups are interested locally, those with knowledge of the inner workings of the league don’t believe anybody based in Ottawa has the ability to do a deal of this size on their own, which means they’d have to be part of a larger group.

The deal could be worth between $700 million and a billion dollars (U.S.), once completed. The Penguins recently sold for $900 million and the Nashville Predators are on the verge of $775 million sale.

There will be lots of speculation about potential local buyers in the coming months. While Minto’s Roger Greenberg has stated publicly he’d like to be part of a group to buy the team, it will have to be one that has a lot of money behind it.

A league executive told this newspaper Wednesday he believes the next owner of the Senators will either be based in Toronto or in the United States. Bettman wants to keep this team in Ottawa, especially with the potential for a downtown arena on the horizon.

Why is this happening now?

The clock is ticking on a 15-month window to get a lease in place at LeBreton Flats. Even if the Melnyk family wanted to hang onto the ownership of the franchise, they would need a partner to help them finance the new rink located 10 minutes west of downtown.

A new owner could also come from the group of partners that are involved in the LeBreton bid. Those include Sterling Project Development, Populous, Tipping Point Sports and Live Nation.

Making this decision now will ensure the new owner can be involved in the negotiation process with the National Capital Commission before it’s completed. Anthony LeBlanc, the club’s president of business operations, and Erin Crowe, the chief financial officer, continue to handle those talks.

Newly elected Mayor Mark Sutclliffe can expect a call from Crowe and LeBlanc regarding the LeBreton bid, as the city of Ottawa is expected play a role in the development of the rink.

The Senators may look to model the project after the Ice District in Edmonton, where the city and the province of Alberta both provided funding for the arena. The sense is Sutcliffe is at least willing to listen to any proposal.

Stay tuned, the next eight-to-10 months will be interesting.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-toronto-based-investors-have-shown-interest-in-purchasing-senators/wcm/44c1afbf-35b1-4a73-b084-f165fcf0ea74

[JHikka]

Interesting group of potential owners. I don't know if I really have a favourite or preferred option at this stage - I suppose a lot of that will come down to how each group prefers a LeBreton rollout and what they have in mind. $700M-$1B seems fair for the team but i'd imagine it would be closer to the Nashville number than the Pittsburgh number. Who knows.

[J.OT13]

If Melnyk & Ruddy would have not screwed up the Rendez-vous Lebreton proposal, this franchise would be worth $1Billion. With the new arena plan, the Sens basically walked away from the real estate development plan (estimated at $5Billion) at Lebreton, instead they only have the 7 acre parcel.

The hockey and the arena is a loss leader to attract other commercial and residential development in the area. Sadly the Sens do not have any of this under the new proposal. I think this greatly diminishes the franchise value, and interest for potential buyers

Building an arena in 2018-2019 would have been far cheaper and having nearly the entire site to redeveloped would surely have helped financing.

That said, the proposal will still include several towers, which will make the project far simpler than the previous scheme. The Sens also have experienced backers this time around, so I'm a little more optimistic.

The new arena will also be the only big venue in town, attracting all sort of major sporting events and concerts the Corel Centre cannot. The demise of the Civic Centre also removes the only true competition from within the city.

Worth noting that the Molson Centre, Air Canada and GM Place were all built as stand alone arenas by NHL team owners in the 90s. They've only really started building around over the last decade or so. The Sens arena will have those corner towers to bolster the development right off the bat.

The Melnyk daughters are expected to keep a piece of the team out of respect for their late-father Eugene, who passed away in March after a lengthy illness.

Very happy to hear that.

As I mentioned before, I hope some locals are at least part of a deal to buy the Sens, or Sens alumni, and I would of course prefer a Canadian ownership group over American.

[rocketphish]

Ryan Reynolds interested in buying the Ottawa Senators, according to PEOPLE magazine

Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Nov 02, 2022 • 5 minutes ago • 1 minute read

Hooray for Hollywood!

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, a Vancouver native, is interested in purchasing the Ottawa Senators and his top priority is to keep the team in the nation’s capital, according to a report Wednesday night in PEOPLE magazine.

“Ryan Reynolds is very interested in buying the Ottawa Senators should the NHL team ultimately be sold,” a source told the magazine.

“Beyond the business opportunity, it is important to Reynolds the team stay in Ottawa, as a sale could result in relocation.”

Representatives of the Senators or the NHL didn’t get back to PEOPLE while a spokesperson for Reynolds declined comment. He did respond to a person on Twitter Tuesday who told him the Senators were for sale with an emoji that indicated he would give it some thought.

Reynolds is an active user of social media.

PEOPLE noted that “owning a professional sports team is not uncharted territory for Reynolds. In February 2021, Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney purchased the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC.”

If nothing else, you can add Reynolds name to the ever-growing list of people interested in owning the franchise. That list will only get bigger now that the Senators have won preferred bidder status from the National Capital Commission to build a rink at LeBreton Flats.

BGarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/people-magazine-says-ryan-reynolds-is-interested-in-purchasing-the-ottawa-senators/wcm/d3e80208-1667-430a-a02b-b3cd482d5b65

[J.OT13]

Nice!

[Harley613]

With the team being worth many times more than Ryan Reynold's entire net worth, it would hardly be Ryan Reynolds buying the team. He would be the face of an investment group.

[rocketphish]

Fingers crossed that Anna and Olivia Melnyk think local when selling Sens
It’s an exciting time, but also one in which to be wary. The outsider owner is a movie Ottawa has seen too many times.

Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen
Nov 03, 2022 • 1 hour ago • 3 minute read

The city is getting a facelift: new mayor, new council, new police chief and now, possibly, a new owner for its NHL franchise, the Senators.

News that the club is on the block comes seven months after owner Eugene Melnyk’s death, and speculation is rampant about whose deep pockets might be interested enough to take over.

With the team’s valuation expected to rise considerably from the $655 million put forth by sports industry news agency Sportico, especially after the Lebreton Flats memorandum of understanding the Sens signed in June, it’s possible that the winning bidder will come from away.

Among the potential bidders mentioned: Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, Burlington, Ont.’s Michael Andlauer and Andre Desmarais (Ottawa-born, but from Montreal). And then there’s the very real chance the best offer comes from south of the border.

It’s an exciting time, but also one in which to be wary. The outsider owner is a movie we’ve seen too many times.

Need we remind ourselves of Bernie and Lonie Glieberman and their ill-fated ownerships of the Ottawa Rough Riders? They had a mulligan with the Renegades, lasting four seasons and giving local football fans lots of Mardi Gras beads and exactly zero playoff games.

Or how about Horn Chen, the Chicago businessman who owned the Rough Riders for two seasons in the mid-1990s and reportedly never attended a game?

And then there was Melnyk, a controversial figure who will be remembered for saving the team from bankruptcy when he bought it in 2003, but also someone who never really fit in Ottawa. Nor did he seem to try. A Torontonian living in Barbados, his relationship with Ottawa was never easy.

Admittedly, he faced obstacles from the get-go that weren’t of his own making. The location of the arena, dubbed the Corel Centre at the time, was on pastureland in the west end.

But there were numerous occasions where his abrasiveness rankled fans. In 2017, with an attendance around 80 per cent of capacity to watch a team headed to a second-last place finish, Melnyk raised the spectre of moving the team. A fan-led campaign using the hashtag #MelnykOut on billboards provided a clear indication of the animosity many felt towards him.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

A sports team should be a community asset and part of the fabric that makes people want to live here. Who can forget the celebrations and good feelings that accompanied the Sens’ Stanley Cup run in 2007? It wasn’t just the Sens Mile on Elgin Street that was festooned with tin-foil Stanley Cup fascinators. Almost all of Ottawa was painted red, black, gold and white.

I attended Games 1, 2 and 5 of those finals in Anaheim. If you weren’t inside the Southern California arena or city hall, you wouldn’t know anything special was going on.

Yes, a team’s success does stoke civic pride, but an owner can foster it and create a symbiotic relationship.

Take Jeff Vinik, for example, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team that joined the NHL the same year as the Sens.

Vinik bought the Bolts in 2010 and has gone to great lengths to foster a close relationship with the community. He immediately upgraded the arena where the team plays, but more significantly has spent millions supporting numerous not-for-profit organizations.

In June, he gave every Lightning employee – 244 of them — $5,000 U.S. to give to a non-profit of their choice. That’s a total of $1.2 million. That’s on top of the $27 million the team has given to more than 625 non-profits in the Tampa area through its grassroots Lightning Community Heroes program, wherein one local person or nonprofit is recognized at every home game and presented with a $50,000 grant.

And picture this: Vinik is an ardent fan who attends almost every home game.

“He’s originally from New England, but he’s become very local here,” Tampa sportswriter Henry Yoho told me. “He’s at the arena all the time and has invested in the community, especially the downtown area.”

He says the goodwill created by Vinik means fans attend games even when the team is doing poorly. “Winning certainly helps,” Yoho adds. “But people just really enjoy being around the team. It’s a good time.”

With the Sens rebuilding for the past handful of years, we could use some good times. Let’s hope Melnyk’s daughters, Anna and Olivia Melnyk, sell the Sens to someone who develops a connection to the city and shows up to watch the team play.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/deachman-fingers-crossed-that-anna-and-olivia-melnyk-think-local-when-selling-sens

[J.OT13]

With the team being worth many times more than Ryan Reynold's entire net worth, it would hardly be Ryan Reynolds buying the team. He would be the face of an investment group.

I figured he probably would not be able to afford the Sens. Looked it up this morning, and he's worth $150 million. Falls a little short!

His soccer team was bought for $2 million. Chump change.

[J.OT13]

I think we can expect the lawsuit between Ruddy and Melnyk will be dropped before the January hearing, at least that's what Ian Mendes was saying yesterday on CBC.

Any new owners should come in knowing that the City of Ottawa and upper level Governments won't make any financial contribution to the arena project. I think that's key to getting the project through now that everyone knows what to expect.

No doubt they will be able to get some tax breaks if they include some affordable housing and such. I'm a bit more optimistic than I was a few months ago.

[rocketphish]

Ryan Reynolds' interest in purchasing the Ottawa Senators is serious

Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Nov 03, 2022 • 9 minutes ago • 4 minute read

Ryan Reynolds is serious about his interest in owning the Ottawa Senators.

Sources told this newspaper Thursday morning the Vancouver-born Hollywood star has a “real” and “genuine” interest in purchasing the Senators from the family of late-owner Eugene Melnyk, who passed away in March after a lengthy illness.

The indications are Reynolds representatives may have already reached out to NHL officials and the Galatioto Sports Partners, a New York-based investment bank, who have been retained by the family to sell the franchise

While some may have dismissed the report by PEOPLE as speculation, sources close to the 46-year-old star of the Deadpool movies say Reynolds is bullish on the idea of being part of the club’s new ownership when the Melnyk family formally puts the team up for sale.

The belief is Reynolds feels like there’s a good opportunity to have success with the Senators. Even if he’s not the majority owner, it would make sense for Reynolds to be involved with whoever purchases the majority share of the franchise.

Sources say Reynolds wants to keep the team in Ottawa and it’s doubtful NHL commissioner Gary Bettman would let any potential buyer move the franchise in any case.

“Anybody interested in buying the team should pick up the phone and call Ryan Reynolds. He’d be a perfect fit,” a source said.

Reynolds has ties to the area and even lived in Ottawa for a short time. Earlier this year, outgoing Mayor Jim Watson named a street “Ryan Reynolds Way”. During the pandemic, Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively, made a generous donation to the Ottawa Food Bank.

“It’s clear that Ottawa does have a special place in Ryan Reynolds heart,” Watson said when he announced the name of the street.

Ottawa goaltender Cam Talbot would welcome Reynolds with open arms.

“I’m a big fan of his. Everybody is. How do you not like that guy?,” Talbot said before facing the Vegas Golden Knights at the Canadian Tire Centre. “He’s very personable. Everybody saw the news (Wednesday). I don’t know if anything will come of it but that would pretty cool.”

Talbot added: “I really like the Deadpool movies they’re not exactly PG. I like all the stuff he’s done. He brings that great sense of humour. You can pretty much turn your brain off, sit back and watch everything. He’s fun.”

Talbot said he’d be quite willing to put a tribute to Deadpool on his mask.

“I think I’d kind of have to. It would fit with the colours so maybe that’s the next one,” Talbot said.

Coach D.J. Smith hasn’t watched Deadpool but he didn’t miss a beat when asked by TSN’s Claire Hanna if he was a fan of Reynolds?

“Clearly, I am. He’s my favourite actually,” Smith said with a laugh. “That’s interesting that you hear all of this stuff come out.”

If Reynolds was to be involved in any purchase the Senators, it wouldn’t be his first venture into sports.

Last year, Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney purchased the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC. They’ve done a NETFLIX series about the franchise and you have to think given this news there will be no shortage of viewers in Ottawa.

But Reynolds isn’t the only one who has reached out to try purchase the club.

The indications are the phones are ringing off the hook at the NHL’s head office in New York from people who want to buy Ottawa. That list will only get bigger now that the Senators have won preferred bidder status from the National Capital Commission to build a rink at LeBreton Flats.

The expectation once the team is sold the sale price will be somewhere between $700 million-to-$1 billion (all figures U.S.). The belief is Melnyk’s daughters, Anna and Olivia, would like to hold onto a legacy piece of the franchise but that will be up to whoever buys the team.

As this newspaper reported Thursday, Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who used to own a minority piece of the Pittsburgh Penguins before they sold to the Fenway Sports Group last year, have expressed an interest in purchasing the Senators and being part of the LeBreton Flats project.

The Toronto-based brothers are on the board of the Harlo Financial Group, which invests in real estate, wealth management, and the entertainment industry. Michael Kimel is the head of the Chase Hospitality Group.

Another person who has been the subject of speculation is Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer.

The owner of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs also has a 20 per cent share in the Montreal Canadiens, and is said to covet controlling interest in his own NHL team. He’s also highly respected by Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

The owner of the Andlauer Group, which owns transport and logistics companies in Canada, he may have kicked the tires on the Ottawa franchise in the past.

Andre Desmarais of Montreal-based Power Corp, who had a link with the other group bidding for LeBreton Flats in 2016, may also study the possibility.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-ryan-reynolds-interest-in-purchasing-the-ottawa-senators-is-real-and-genuine/wcm/9406e01e-fc0c-4393-8748-442316fd7e78

[rocketphish]

'Rock solid' arena deal key to keeping Sens in Ottawa, sports observer says
Talk of change in ownership comes 3 months after MOU on Lebreton Flats arena

Guy Quenneville, Celeste Decaire · CBC News
Posted: Nov 03, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: 9 hours ago

Amid reports that the owners of the Ottawa Senators are considering a sale, one sports observer says a "rock solid" plan to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats is needed to ensure the Sens stay put in Ottawa.

"That's the danger at this point. The LeBreton deal looks good, but it's not completely done yet," said Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

Speculation about the future of the Senators began after the public learned in late March owner Eugene Melnyk died and his two daughters, Anna and Olivia, inherited the franchise.

Three months later, the National Capital Commission (NCC) announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a group led by the Senators to develop an NHL hockey arena and events venue surrounded by mixed-use development on Albert Street in LeBreton Flats.

The group's concept was still in the very early stages, the NCC stressed, with a goal of fall 2023 set for signing a long-term lease agreement.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the commission said its board expects to get an update on the project in January.

Lander said the MOU promises stability, as a potential owner would be more likely to stay in Ottawa if there was a plan to move downtown rather than buy a team in the suburbs "with no real direction."

He's hopeful local Ottawa groups will express interest in the team, but things need to progress smoothly well beyond an MOU to attract serious suitors, he added.

"Anybody who's seeing this as an investment is not going to be able to pressure the NCC … but they are certainly going to say 'We're not putting up $700 million to find out that this thing is gonna fall through on some technicality or to find out that there's some sort of environmental impact assessment that says that the LeBreton Flats is dangerous,'" Lander said.

Ottawans know arena deals can fall apart, as they learned with the failed play for a LeBreton Flats arena back in 2018.

Calgary is a recent example of a city where a new arena project looked ready to go only to turn into a more protracted affair, Lander said.

"They're back to square one," he said.

"So it can drag and, depending on what ownership group comes forward, that itself could start posing some potential issues, especially if the ownership group is not from Ottawa."

Arena projects often see the proponents asking the city to chip in, and with LeBreton Flats falling on Crown land, the federal government, alongside the City of Ottawa, may be asked to help pay for a new Senators home — which will put further pressure on Ottawa to maintain its grip on the team, Lander said.

"Usually what the ownership groups will do is effectively blackmail, leverage, scare-tactic their way into getting that money by saying, 'If you don't give it, I bet you Houston would,'" he said.

"Quebec City has been sitting with an empty arena ready made for an NHL team for about a decade and they'd love nothing more than to jump in at the last minute and grab the Sens."

Ottawa's mayor-elect, Mark Sutcliffe, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that he does not support taxpayer money going toward the construction of a new arena "regardless of its location."

Sutcliffe added that, like many Ottawa residents and Senators fans, he expects the NHL "to ensure any prospective new owner keeps our Senators in Ottawa."

The team's founder agreed.

"So as long as Gary Bettman is the [NHL] commissioner, in my opinion, the Senators are not going anywhere," Bruce Firestone said in an interview.

"When the Senators went bankrupt, Gary went to bat for Ottawa; he wanted to keep a National Hockey League team in Canada's capital city. He's gone to bat for the Arizona Coyotes. He does not believe, and I agree with him, that franchises in any major league sports should be on roller skates. They should stay where they are."

Despite threats, the only NHL team to move since the 2004-05 lockout is the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg after ownership couldn't find anyone willing to buy the team and keep it in Georgia.

In his statement, Sutcliffe said he supports relocating the Senators arena to LeBreton Flats from its current home at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata "provided there is a strong plan to support local Kanata businesses that may be impacted by the move."

Firestone pointed to the repurposing of Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, the former home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as an example of what can be done to help.

"It's got a Loblaws superstore in there [now]. There's the Mattamy Athletic Centre [for Toronto Metropolitan University]. There was a very good reuse of the arena," he said.

Sportico, a U.S. news outlet, reported on Tuesday that the Sens have hired Galatioto Sports Partners, a firm that acts as an arranger in sales of professional sports teams.

Late last year, Forbes Magazine estimated the team to be worth $525 million, up 22 per cent from a year before.

When the cost of a new arena is added, an incoming owner is easily looking at a total investment north of $1 billion, Firestone said.

That's why there will likely to be "a whole bunch of people [who] are going to have their hands all over the deal, to basically lend the ownership group the money to finance the purchase of the team," Lander said.

The pool of potential owners is "a very elite club," he added.

Firestone, who won the Senators franchise in 1990, said the days of an entrepreneur like him being involved in a major sports league are probably over.

"You need somebody who has resources and has other businesses that will support the team," he said.

Firestone said he believes there are some people in the Ottawa-Gatineau area who would quality as buyers.

"But it's not as a long list as you would find in Toronto," he conceded.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-senators-sale-arena-lebreton-melnyk-1.6638209

[J.OT13]

Ryan Reynolds: "I'm interested in buying the Ottawa Senators"
NHL and fans: ":haha:"
Reynolds: "I'm serious"
NHL and fans: ":lmao:"

But seriously, would be pretty cool if he had a minority ownership. Might attract more people to see Sens games from outside Ottawa. Might finally put us on the map!

Also:

The indications are the phones are ringing off the hook at the NHL’s head office in New York from people who want to buy Ottawa.

Of course, it's a beautiful city! :D

[zzptichka]

https://i.imgur.com/2tsov1gl.png

[J.OT13]

https://i.imgur.com/2tsov1gl.png

:haha:

[YOWflier]

Genius tweet by Beaverton. I LOLd.

[JHikka]

"So as long as Gary Bettman is the [NHL] commissioner, in my opinion, the Senators are not going anywhere," Bruce Firestone said in an interview.

"When the Senators went bankrupt, Gary went to bat for Ottawa; he wanted to keep a National Hockey League team in Canada's capital city. He's gone to bat for the Arizona Coyotes. He does not believe, and I agree with him, that franchises in any major league sports should be on roller skates. They should stay where they are."
Hey, at least Firestone and I agree on something, but...

In his statement, Sutcliffe said he supports relocating the Senators arena to LeBreton Flats from its current home at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata "provided there is a strong plan to support local Kanata businesses that may be impacted by the move."

Firestone pointed to the repurposing of Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, the former home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as an example of what can be done to help.

"It's got a Loblaws superstore in there [now]. There's the Mattamy Athletic Centre [for Toronto Metropolitan University]. There was a very good reuse of the arena," he said.
...I guess this is where the agreement ends. Maple Leaf Gardens and Canadian Tire Centre couldn't possibly be any more different. The only reason MLG was repurposed the way it has been is because it's in the middle of downtown with a usage for services for the local population. MLG and CTC are being vacated for entirely different reasons and they're not at all similar. Anyway.

[rocketphish]

He'd make a great mascot though...

Ryan Reynolds might want to buy the Sens, but expert says it's unlikely
Canadian icon would need the financial backing of a billionaire to afford team

Nicole Williams · CBC News
Posted: Nov 03, 2022 3:37 PM ET | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Canadian superstar Ryan Reynolds seems to have expressed interest in buying the Ottawa Senators, and while fans are buzzing about the possibility, one expert says it's probably not going to happen.

On Wednesday, People magazine reported that the Deadpool actor and entrepreneur was considering buying the NHL team, amid reports that the owners are considering a sale.

Reaction on social media was swift, with fans Photoshopping pictures of Reynolds's Deadpool character wearing a Senators jersey into a team photo.

One account even refashioned the Ottawa Senators logo, replacing the centurion figure with Deadpool's mask.

On Tuesday, Reynolds himself responded to a fan on Twitter who suggested he buy the team — not exactly with a yes, but not a no either.

While fans seem excited, why would Ryan Reynolds want anything to do with Ottawa, let alone buy its NHL team?

For starters, Reynolds is Canadian. He was born in Vancouver, but for a time he lived in Ottawa's Vanier neighbourhood and has maintained close ties to the city.

Reynolds donated to the Ottawa Food Bank in 2020. He also posed as Bruce the intern, the man behind Ottawa Public Health's clever Twitter account, during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, Mayor Jim Watson named a street "Ryan Reynolds Way."

While the idea Reynolds would be interested in buying the Senators comes as a surprise to many, the team isn't so sure.

"Yeah, that's interesting. You hear all this stuff come out," said coach D.J. Smith with a laugh Thursday, when asked about the prospect of Reynolds becoming the club's owner.

"For us as a group, we just want to win hockey games, and we're going to do everything we can."

Defenceman Erik Brännström also chuckled when asked his thoughts.

"I saw that yesterday. Yeah, that would be fun," Brännström said, though he admitted he hadn't seen any of Reynolds's movies.

Even with the support from fans, it's unclear whether or not the actor could even afford to buy the team.

"Here's the thing. Let's say that he has idle cash lying around, $50 million, $100 million, right? We're talking about a team that's gonna cost $700 million," said Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

"It's going to require very, very deep pockets. And if you want to sell small symbolic stakes to people like Ryan Reynolds, go for it — but there better be a figurehead at the front who has a lot of zeros after his name."

There's the added complication the Senators might leave the Canadian Tire Centre, located 25 kilometres west of the city's downtown.

Three months after former owner Eugene Melnyk died in March, the National Capital Commission (NCC) announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with a group led by the Senators to develop an NHL arena and events venue surrounded by mixed-use development at LeBreton Flats near downtown Ottawa.

The group's concept was still in the very early stages, the NCC stressed, with a goal of fall 2023 set for signing a long-term lease agreement.

Lander said it's likely someone like Reynolds wouldn't be interested in becoming involved in such a complicated and political deal.

Reynolds does already have a history of investing in professional sports teams. Last year, he and actor and producer Rob McElhenney invested more than $3.4 million to buy Wrexham Association Football Club, a soccer team from North Wales.

CBC tried to reach Reynolds for an interview but received no comment.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ryan-reynolds-rumours-buying-ottawa-senators-1.6639255

[J.OT13]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FgpVXXWXwAE4Riw?format=jpg&name=small
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ryan-reynolds-rumours-buying-ottawa-senators-1.6639255

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fgm4kEVXgAEAOuz?format=jpg&name=large

[GeoNerd]

The Sens made it official (https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/statement-from-senators-sports--entertainment/c-337203674). A condition of any sale will be that the team remains in Ottawa, is a massive relief to all fans.

https://i.postimg.cc/qMJLRrht/Sens.png

[rocketphish]

The Senators are officially 'For Sale' and will remain in Ottawa

Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Citizen
Nov 04, 2022 • 1 hour ago • 2 minute read

The Ottawa Senators have officially hung up the ‘For Sale’ sign outside the Canadian Tire Centre.

The Senators released a statement Friday morning confirming the team will be sold in the coming months and a condition of the sale is that the team remain in Ottawa.

While it was reported earlier this week the Senators were on the market, this is the first time the organization has made any public comment that Anna and Olivia Melnyk have decided to pursue a buyer for the franchise left to them by their father Eugene, who passed away in March.

Speaking on behalf of the club’s board of directors, Sheldon Plener, a Toronto-based lawyer who is acting as the governor of the Senators at NHL meetings and is the executor of Melnyk’s estate, said this was the right move for the future of the team.

“Galatioto Sports Partners has been retained as financial advisor and a process has been initiated for the sale of the Ottawa Senators,” Plener said in a statement. “This was a necessary and prudent step to connect with those deeply interested parties who can show us what their vision is for the future of the team.

“A condition of any sale will be that the team remains in Ottawa. The organization will have no further comment on this process at this time.”

Though the organization is still working with the New York-based banker to get all the proper paper work needed to provide to interested parties, league sources told this newspaper Thursday the phone at the NHL offices and Galatioto Sports Partners has been “ringing off the hook”.

The Senators have the support of the NHL in the decision to put the club up for sale.

“We think it’s a prudent exploration of options,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told this newspaper in an email Friday morning. “The key here is there is no intention to entertain relocation possibilities. The team will remain in Ottawa.”

There’s no shortage of interested parties in purchasing the Senators, especially with the club winning preferred bidder status from the National Capital Commission to build a new rink 10 minutes from downtown at LeBreton Flats.

MORE LATER …

bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/sungarrioch

https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-its-official-the-senators-are-for-sale-and-will-remain-in-ottawa/wcm/f9662e46-30d6-4232-a378-bf6675156e79

[daud]

"deeply interested parties" (plural)

Likely OSEG and possibly a consortium with Desmarais and/or Laliberte, and a handful of others?

Really good news that the condition of sale is that they remain in Ottawa though I personally had little doubt is wouldn't as Bettman is big on not moving franchises.

(I think in part to ensure future expansion revenues as franchises moving could reduce that expansion demand and revenue)

[J.OT13]

"deeply interested parties" (plural)

Likely OSEG and possibly a consortium with Desmarais and/or Laliberte, and a handful of others?

Really good news that the condition of sale is that they remain in Ottawa though I personally had little doubt is wouldn't as Bettman is big on not moving franchises.

(I think in part to ensure future expansion revenues as franchises moving could reduce that expansion demand and revenue)

For sure. Teams moving de-values the league (except the NFL for some reason), and Ottawa is a proven market despite a few rough years. But expanding beyond 32 teams, I don't know.

There’s no shortage of interested parties in purchasing the Senators, especially with the club winning preferred bidder status from the National Capital Commission to build a new rink 10 minutes from downtown at LeBreton Flats.

10 minutes from downtown. Someone actually calculating distance on foot and not by car? :eek:

[J.OT13]

GARRIOCH: GM Pierre Dorion says 'D.J. Smith is our coach. He's going to be our coach'

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/garrioch-gm-pierre-dorion-says-d-j-smith-is-our-coach-hes-going-to-be-our-coach

This usually means he'll be fired any day now.

[J.OT13]

Reynolds talking about his interest in buying on the Ottawa Senators (3 minute mark).

5AA2yMgoeS0

[lrt's friend]

Ryan Reynolds is at CTC tonight.