The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the Ottawa Senators to Michael Andlauer on Thursday.
Andlauer will assume control of the Senators' operations. Anna and Olivia Melnyk, the daughters of the late Eugene Melnyk, will retain a 10 percent interest through the Melnyk Estate.
“The Ottawa Senators Hockey Club is an amazing organization, from the players, to the staff, to the most passionate fanbase in the game,” Andlauer said in a statement. “My family and I are thrilled to officially be a part of Ottawa’s team and the Ottawa-Gatineau community.
“Thank you to the NHL and the Melnyk family for the opportunity to make this a reality and entrusting me to steward this remarkable franchise into the future. Thank you also to my equity partners and advisors on the transaction, who like me are aligned and committed to bringing on and off-ice success to the National Capital Region.
“I cannot wait to get to Ottawa and get things officially started. It is an incredibly exciting time for the franchise, fans and the community.
“Go Sens Go!”
Andlauer is a former owner of the Hamilton Bulldogs, an American Hockey League team that had a joint affiliation between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers. They won the Calder Cup in 2007 under his ownership. Andlauer in 2015 sold the franchise to the Canadiens, bought the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, and relocated them to Hamilton, where they won OHL championships in 2018 and 2022. In 2009 he purchased a share of the Canadiens, Bell Centre and Gillett Entertainment Group (now evenko) as part of a group headed by Geoff Molson. He has since been Canadiens alternate governor.
The Senators announced Nov. 5, 2022, that the process of selling the team had begun, six months after Eugene Melnyk, owner since 2003, died from an illness at age 62.
Under Melnyk's ownership, the Senators reached the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, a five-game loss to the Anaheim Ducks, and the 2017 Eastern Conference Final, a seven-game loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were 39-35-8 last season, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division and six points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the East. They have not made the postseason since losing Game 7 to the Penguins in double overtime.
“On behalf of the estate, Anna and Olivia Melnyk and the outgoing board, we want to congratulate Michael Andlauer on his purchase of the Ottawa Senators,” said Sheldon Plener, the Senators’ outgoing chairman and governor. “Michael’s passion and dedication to excellence will allow him to do great things for the entire National Capital Region and we’re proud to see him lead this franchise into the future.”
