Ottawa Senators

Vladimir Tarasenko remains one of the biggest names available on the NHL free-agent market deep into the offseason. But that may not be the case for much longer.

Earlier this month, Tarasenko switched agencies, as the 31-year-old forward is now being represented by JP Barry and Pat Brisson of CAA, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. And since then, there has reportedly been quite a few teams showing interest in signing Tarasenko.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman recently said during an appearance on NHL Network that the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers have been in the mix to sign Tarasenko, while the Nashville Predators have "been in and out." Friedman noted several other teams have "kicked tires here and there," and that the Carolina Hurricanes are "definitely one of the teams in there, too."

So, what is the most likely landing spot for Tarasenko? That isn't yet known. But the one caveat in negotiations is that he may only be looking to ink a one-year deal, according to Friedman.

"I just think it's a situation where Tarasenko's going to wait to see best fit, best deal," Friedman said on NHL Network. "I heard it was possible he might get a two- or three-year deal from one of these teams. From what I understand now, it's more likely he takes a one-year deal, plays well and see what happens on the cap next season."

The best fit? That's potentially the Senators, who will be looking to snap a six-year playoff drought during the 2023-24 season.

Ottawa has room for Tarasenko after the team traded Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Per CapFriendly, the Senators have $5.03 million in projected available cap space.

Although Ottawa didn't make the playoffs this past season, it showed improvement by winning 39 games, its most since the 2016-17 campaign (the last time it reached the postseason). The team also has some talented young players it's building around, such as forwards Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and others.

Tarasenko could be a veteran mentor for the Senators, and he'd also bring an offensive boost himself. This past season, he tallied 50 points (18 goals and 32 assists) over 69 games with the St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers.

After spending his first 10 1/2 years in the NHL in St. Louis, Tarasenko was traded to New York on Feb. 9. Now, there's a good chance he'll be playing for another new team when the 2023-24 season begins in October.

While Tarasenko could end up with any of the interested teams (depending on which one is willing to give him the best offer), he should go to Ottawa. It makes sense for both sides, even if it's only a short-term commitment.

Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer reportedly reached an agreement to buy the NHL's Ottawa Senators on Tuesday for just shy of $1 billion.

According to TSN, Andlauer's group beat out three other bids, and he will have to sell his 10 percent stake in the Montreal Canadiens to become the Sens' controlling shareholder.

Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reported that the final sale price is expected to be $950 million.

The Senators were put up for sale in November after Eugene Melnyk, who owned the franchise for nearly 20 years, died in March 2022.

Melnyk's daughters, Olivia and Anna Melnyk, reportedly retained a 10 percent ownership stake in the Senators as part of the sale.

One of the other groups that bid on the Senators was headed by Neko Sparks and included legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, as well as former WWE Superstar and current acting megastar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The Remington Group included Canadian actor and Wrexham FC soccer owner Ryan Reynolds, but they pulled out of the running to buy the Senators last month.

As part of Andlauer's purchase, he was reportedly given "preferred bidder status" to build a new arena for the franchise in the LeBreton Flats area of Ottawa.

The Sens entered the NHL as an expansion team in 1992, and they have played in their current venue since 1996, presently known as the Canadian Tire Centre.

During their 30 years of existence, the Senators have reached the playoffs 16 times, including 11 years in a row from 1996 through 2008.

They have yet to win a Stanley Cup, but they did reach the Cup Final in 2007, falling to the Anaheim Ducks.

Ottawa has missed the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, but it finished with 86 points this past season, leaving it just six points out of a playoff spot.

The Sens have a talented, young core led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Alex DeBrincat and Jakob Chychrun, and with Andlauer giving the franchise some stability, they could be on the verge of another golden age.

The NHL will reportedly remain Deadpool-less.

According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, multiple groups attempting to purchase the Ottawa Senators have reached out to actor Ryan Reynolds to gauge his interest in joining the fold. However, he has turned down all the offers.

The news comes after ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported on May 11 that Reynolds dropped out of the bidding process.

While the actor was attached to a bid led by real estate developer Remington Group, Kaplan noted he stepped away when he didn't receive an exclusive 30-day negotiating window he was looking for in the process.

It wouldn't have been his first venture in sports team ownership, as he and fellow actor Rob McElhenney are co-owners of Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC. The club secured promotion to Football League Two this year.

As for the Senators, Garrioch noted the expectation is the winning bid will be revealed at some point this week.

At least one group interested in purchasing the NHL's Ottawa Senators is reportedly willing to pay $1 billion.

According to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports, there were at least three bids submitted for the team prior to Monday's deadline at the end of the business day. One of those bids was valued "at or above $1 billion."

Six groups were considered "in the mix" ahead of the deadline.

Perez noted an announcement on the winning bid is not expected for approximately one week as Galatioto Sports Partners reviews the submissions.

A group with Sacramento Kings governor Vivek Ranadivé, a group with Montreal Canadiens minority owner Michael Andlauer and a group that includes Snoop Dogg are among those who could have submitted bids Monday.

Snoop Dogg wasn't the only celebrity involved in this entire process, as there was a time when it seemed like actor Ryan Reynolds could be part of the group that landed the Senators.

Yet ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported Thursday that Reynolds' bid would not move forward in part because he was not granted an exclusive negotiating window he was looking for in the potential sale. He was attached to a group led by real estate developer Remington Group, and the bid was expected to be more than $1 billion.

Reynolds has found success as a co-owner of Welsh soccer club, Wrexham AFC, with fellow actor Rob McElhenney. Under their ownership, Wrexham clinched promotion to Football League Two following a 15-year drought.

The Senators are up for sale following the death of owner Eugene Melnyk, and Kaplan noted one of the NHL's stipulations is the team must remain in Ottawa.

Forbes valued the franchise at $800 million in December, but it seems like the sale will end up generating more than that number given the latest developments.

Ottawa has been stuck in something of a rough patch of late and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season with a 39-35-8 record in 2022-23.

It's a disappointing day for Ottawa's Deadpool lovers.

Actor Ryan Reynolds will not be moving forward with his bid to own the Ottawa Senators, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

Reynolds was preparing a bid for the Senators alongside real estate mogul Christopher Bratty and the Remington Group. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported two weeks ago the bid was estimated to be worth over $1 billion.

Neither Reynolds nor the rest of the Remington Group will be moving forward with the bid, Garrioch reported.

Reynolds requested "an exclusive window to complete the deal" and was denied, per Kaplan. The deadline for final, non-binding offers for the Ottawa team is May 15.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman previously told ESPN he had met with Reynolds to discuss potential ownership of the Senators.

The news comes after Snoop Dogg recently reaffirmed he will be part of a bid for the Senators led by businessman Neko Sparks. Sparks was reportedly the highest bidder in the first round of bidding, with an offer of over $900 million.

Garrioch reported that other interested bidders include Michael Andlauer, who owns the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs and 20 percent of the Montreal Canadiens, Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos, and Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, previous owners of a minority piece of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Forbes valued the Ottawa Senators at $800 million last December, but after high first-round bids, the team's value has reportedly approached $1 billion.

That price would make this the most expensive hockey team transaction since the Fenway Sports Group purchased the Penguins in 2021 for $900 million. Forbes projected that price was equal to 4.5x the Pittsburgh team's projected revenue for the 2021-22 season, while Fenway Sports Group chairman Tom Werner said it was the value of an "iconic" brand.

The Senators have been looking at moving their arena, currently miles from the city center, toward Ottawa's downtown. That's an additional cost for the team's future owner to consider. Whoever that is, it will likely not be Reynolds.

Investors continue to add some big names to their bidding groups for the Ottawa Senators.

After rapper and actor Snoop Dogg joined Neko Sparks' bidding group to purchase the Sens earlier this week, Canadian singer and songwriter The Weeknd has agreed to join the bidding group led by Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

The Weeknd, who's real name is Abel Tesfaye, wanted to join the bidding group because "he grew up in Toronto, loves hockey, has ties to the Ottawa area and believes there's a chance to be part of something special here," according to Garrioch.

A source close to The Weeknd told Garrioch:

"He's going to be a great partner for Ottawa and the NHL. The team he works with grew up in Ottawa, so they know the market really well, but he's the largest musician planet right now. He has the most views, the most streams and he's a hockey guy.

"He doesn't like to be in the media very often so this really says something that he wants to be part of a bid. He wants to get this deal done, he wants to build something that will be great great in Ottawa and he'll be a good fit. He's got a lot of connections of worldwide."

Another celebrity, actor Ryan Reynolds, joined the Remington Group's bid to purchase the franchise. Garrioch reported last week that the consortium was preparing to make an offer worth more than $1 billion.

The Melnyk family, which owns the Senators, hired New York-based Galatioto Sports Partners last year to explore a potential sale of the franchise. Eugene Melnyk, who purchased the Sens in 2003 for $92 million, died in March 2022 and left the team to his two children.

The Senators are valued at $800 million, according to Forbes. If purchased for $1 billion, it would top the $900 million Fenway Sports Group paid for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2021.

Snoop Dogg has entered the bidding for the Ottawa Senators.

The famous rapper confirmed on Instagram that he had joined the bidding group led by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks in hopes of becoming part-owner of the Canadian NHL franchise.

The Athletic's Ian Mendes first reported the news.

"He's passionately involved. He's coming up with ideas. And he's legitimately excited," a source told The Athletic of Snoop's involvement. "He wants this team."

The group led by Sparks "is not intimidated" by the potential of the final sale price of the franchise to reach more than $1 billion, according to The Athletic. However, it's unclear how much Snoop Dogg has contributed financially.

The Sparks group is also hoping to become one of the most diverse ownership groups in the NHL. It already includes more than 12 investors, the majority of which are people of color, according to The Athletic.

Snoop Dogg is hoping to use his celebrity status "to amplify and grow" the Senators brand, per The Athletic. He has more than 100 million followers across Twitter and Instagram.

The 51-year-old is also particularly interested in "marketing hockey to families from diverse backgrounds in the Ottawa area—and beyond—who haven't necessarily been targeted by the sport in the past."

"He's passionate about trying to make this game affordable for visible minorities and kids in low-income areas who haven't been able to play hockey in the past," a source told The Athletic. "He wants to be community-oriented."

Snoop Dogg has become ingrained in hockey culture over the last several years, though during the early stages of his career he rocked a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in the 1994 music video for "Gin and Juice."

Since then, Snoop Dogg has been involved in various NHL initiatives.

In 2018, he published a video series on NHL.com, dubbed "Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg," where he explained various NHL rules, including icing and offside, in addition to hockey slang and traditions. In 2019, he was included in the EA Sports' NHL video game as a commentator.

The California native has also teamed up with the Los Angeles Kings in the past for several initiatives, including being a DJ and a commentator.

The next round of bidding for the Senators is due in two weeks, and the Sparks consortium will be competing with actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group, among others, for the rights to the franchise.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported Friday that the Remington Group was preparing to make an offer for the Senators worth more than $1 billion.

The Melnyk family, which owns the Senators, hired Galatioto Sports Partners, a New York-based banker, last year to explore a potential sale of the franchise. Eugene Melnyk, who purchased the Sens in 2003 for $93 million, died in March 2022, and the team was left to his two children, though it is being run by a three-person board.

The Senators are valued at $800 million, according to Forbes' list of 2022 NHL team values. If purchased for more than $1 billion, it would top the $900 million Fenway Sports Group paid for the Pittsburgh Penguins in November 2021.

The Sens have been one of the most disappointing NHL franchises over the last several seasons, and there had been calls for Melnyk to sell the team prior to his death. Ottawa has not made the postseason since the 2016-17 campaign and is coming off a 2022-23 season in which it finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 39-35-8 record.

A group led by superstar actor Ryan Reynolds is reportedly preparing a bid of more than $1 billion in an effort to purchase the NHL's Ottawa Senators.

According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun (h/t TSN), Reynolds is partnering with the Remington Group, which is a real estate development company based in Ontario.

The 46-year-old Reynolds was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and he joined the ranks as a professional sports franchise owner in 2021 when he and fellow actor Rob McElhenney purchased Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC.

Wrexham has already achieved great success under Reynolds' ownership, as the club earned promotion from the National League to the English Football League last week.

The Senators, who have been owned by the Melnyk family since 2003, were made available for sale after Eugene Melnyk's death in March 2022.

Per Garrioch, final bids for the franchise are due by May 15.

TSN reported that Remington Group wants a high-profile face as part of the ownership group, which is where Reynolds comes in. It also wants to build a new arena for the Senators in downtown Ottawa.

Should Remington Group and Reynolds purchase the Senators, Reynolds reportedly plans to enlist a production company to create a docu-series about the purchase and the construction of the new arena in the same vein as the Welcome to Wrexham series focused on Reynolds' purchase of Wrexham.

If the figure of $1 billion is true for the Remington Group and Reynolds bid, it would set a new record for the largest franchise sale in NHL history, which is currently owned by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were purchased by Fenway Sports Group for $900 million in 2021.

The Senators joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1992, and since then, they have reached the playoffs 16 times in 30 seasons.

While Ottawa has yet to win a Stanley Cup, it reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first and only time in 2007.

The Senators reached the playoffs in 11 straight seasons from 1996 through 2008, but they have missed the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, which is the longest drought in team history.

Ottawa is seemingly a team on the rise, though, as it went from 73 points in 2021-22 to 86 points this season, just six points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

With Brady Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, Tim Stützle and Jakob Chychrun leading the way, the Sens could be poised to return to the playoffs as soon as next season.