“But the club isn’t on the market, there’s no urgency, and the club isn’t unstable. There are no problems.”
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There’s no “For Sale” sign hanging outside the Canadian Tire Centre.
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Speaking to reporters in Tampa, Fla., during the first intermission of Game 2 of the playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman said the Ottawa Senators weren’t being sold and, as Postmedia has reported, it’s business as usual.
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Before passing away in late March after a lengthy illness, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, 62, set up the franchise so it would be in his family for “generations.” It will be up to his daughters of him, Anna and Olivia, to decide what’s next for the franchise, but right now business operation continue as before.
In fact, Bettman said, there’s no sense of urgency for Anna and Olivia Melnyk to decide what’s next.
“Nothing (happening),” Bettman said. “Eugene Melnyk’s passing from him we acknowledged and sadly sent our condolences to his family from him. Basically, his family is his two daughters. The franchise is being professionally run.
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“Ultimately, these two girls are going to have to decide what they want to do. But the club isn’t on the market, there’s no urgency, and the club isn’t unstable. There are no problems.”
There has been no indication whatsoever that Anna and Olivia Melnyk plan to sell the franchise. They were on hand for the team picture last month, sitting side-by-side with captain Brady Tkachuk, and dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff on Fan Appreciation Night to thank people for their support.
Speaking about the prospect of a downtown arena, Bettman left open the possibility of a facility at LeBreton Flats. It’s believed the Senators were among the groups that submitted bids to the National Capital Commission by the Feb. 28 deadline.
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But, Bettman noted, that is the least of the NHL’s concerns right now.
“That door opens, it closes, it opens and it closes,” Bettman said about a downtown rink. “I’m hopeful at some point it will happen. Right now we’re just focusing on the family’s wishes and we’re being supportive of the family at a difficult time.
“I was at Guy Lafleur’s state funeral (in Montreal on Tuesday). There was his passing of him, Mike Bossy’s passing of him, there’s some sadness floating around here. We’re missing great people who were important to this game.”
While all Senators senior management reported to Melnyk, he had put in place a board of directors several years ago to help with checks and balances when it came to making decisions about the franchise.
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Sheldon Plener, a partner in the business law group at Cassels, longtime business associate Lawrence Zeifman and John Miszuk, the Senators’ chief administrative officer, will help direct the franchise in the coming months.
Plener and Ziefman had been with Melnyk for several years.
Plener has a strong knowledge of the inner workings of the organization because he has attended NHL board of governors meetings on the Senators’ behalf several times.
Miszuk, who was a long-time consultant to Melnyk back to his days with Biovail Corp., was added to the board of directors in December 2020.
One of that trio will be able to represent the Senators at board of governors meetings. General manager Pierre Dorion communicates and speaks with board members regularly, and that won’t change.
Bettman said he was in regular contact with Plener because he was the governor and executor of Melnyk’s estate.
“Sheldon I’ve known for years, and we’ve been in regular contact,” Bettman said. “Nothing on an urgent basis. I was getting regular updates on Eugene’s (health). Eugene was sick for a number of years. He had the liver transplant seven years ago.
“I knew what was going to happen. It was just a question of time.”
