Reynolds' thoughts about Senators no act

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

Sources told Postmedia on Thursday that the Vancouver-born Hollywood star has a “real” and “genuine” interest in purchasing the Senators from the family of owner Eugene Melnyk, who died 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 that has been retained by the family to sell the franchise.

While some may have dismissed the report by People magazine as speculation, sources close to the 46-yearold star of the Deadpool movies say Reynolds is bullish on the idea of being part of the Senators' 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 Thursday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights at 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,” he said.

Coach D.J. Smith hasn't watched Deadpool, but 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 pro 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 that may now draw extra interest in Ottawa, given this news. But Reynolds isn't the only one who has reached out with interest in purchasing the Senators.

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

The expectation is that the sale price for the team will be somewhere between US$700 million and $1 billion. 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 Postmedia reported Thursday, Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who used to own a minority stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins before they sold it to the Fenway Sports Group last year, have expressed an interest in purchasing the Sens and being part of the LeBreton Flats project.

The Toronto-based brothers are on the board of Harlo Financial Group, which invests in real estate, wealth management and the entertainment industry. Michael Kimel is the head of 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, may have kicked the tires on the Ottawa franchise in the past.

Andre Desmarais of Montreal-based Power Corp, which had a link with the other group bidding on the LeBreton Flats project in 2016, may also study the possibility of buying the Senators.

Ryan Reynolds