Senators in Ottawa to stay

Those who have started shopping for a Brady Tkachuk jersey in Quebec Nordic colors will have to stop their plans: Ottawa senators confirmed on Friday that the team was indeed for sale, provided she lives in Ottawa.

• Read also: Selling Senators really in the plans

Rumors have swirled for days that senators have hired Galatioto Sports Partners to handle the sale of the organization, currently owned by Olivia and Anna Melnick, heiress to Eugene Melnick, who died last March 28 at the age of 62.

Senate Governor Sheldon Bleiner confirmed in a statement that the team is officially for sale.

“Galatioto Sports Partners has been hired to act as a financial advisor, and the process of selling Ottawa Senators Hockey Club has begun. This was a necessary and critical step to reach out to interested parties, who would be able to demonstrate their vision for the future of the team. A condition of any sale is that the team remain in Ottawa.

Already, the names of potential buyers have begun to circulate, including Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, who would like to be part of the team’s shareholders. Deadpool translator has acquired Welsh football club Wrexham AFC along with another actor, Robert McElhenney.

Quebec is not in the plans

So Quebec fans will have to wait again. Anyway, it seems that the idea of ​​moving senators was never in the plans.

On Thursday, the finance minister, Eric Girard, who was tasked by Prime Minister François Legault to look after the Nordic dossier, said he had not been in contact with the Melnik sisters.

On Friday, NHL Assistant Commissioner Bill Daley denied any prospect of the senators leaving Ottawa.

“The key here is that there is no intention to explore the possibilities of resettlement. The team will remain in Ottawa,” Bruce Jarioch of the Ottawa Sun told reporter.

new arena

The new purchaser of the concession will obviously have the mandate to settle, once and for all, the relocation of Senators from Kanata, where the Canadian Tyre Center is currently located, to downtown Ottawa.

A project to build a plaza at LeBreton Flats has been up in the air for several years, but it never saw the light of day.

Recently, Sportico media, which specializes in sports financing, valued the senators at $655 million. Remember, Melnyk acquired the franchise in 2003 for $92 million.