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Brantford Bulldogs owner set to purchase Ottawa Senators

HockeyBrantford Bulldogs owner set to purchase Ottawa Senators

Michael Andlauer, owner of the Ontario Hockey League’s Brantford Bulldogs, is set to become the new owner of the Ottawa Senators.

The group, led by Andlauer, has has entered into an agreement to purchase 90 per cent and operational control of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club. Eugene Melnyk’s daughters will own the other ten per cent of the franchise.

Andlauer has a long history in hockey and love of the game, having been involved with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Hamilton Bulldogs since 2003, first as a co-owner, then as majority owner in 2004. In 2007, the Hamilton Bulldogs were Calder Cup Champions. In March of 2015, when he sold the AHL Bulldogs to the Montreal Canadiens; he purchased the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Belleville Bulls and relocated the team to Hamilton, where they won both the 2018 and 2022 OHL Championship.

In 2009, Andlauer purchased a share of the Montreal Canadiens, the Bell Centre and Gillett Entertainment Group (now evenko) as part of a group headed by Geoff Molson. Andlauer has served as alternate governor for the Canadiens since the purchase.

Andlauer addressed the purchase of the Senators franchise in a press release.

“First and foremost, thank you to my wife and family for their support. Thank you to both the NHL and the Melnyk family for providing me with the opportunity to make this dream a reality. Thank you also to my equity partners on the transaction, who like me are committed to bringing success to the National Capital Region. I would also like to thank my financial advisors at Bulldog Capital Partners,” said Andlauer. “My family and I are very excited to be a part of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club. I believe that the Senators’ fanbase is one of the most passionate in the league and I’m excited to take the franchise’s success both on and off the ice to the next level.The short and long-term future of the team is incredibly bright, and I look forward to getting to know the team, the fanbase and the community.”

Sheldon Plener, Chairman and Governor of the Ottawa Senators, also discussed the sale of the team to Andlauer.

“We are very pleased to announce that we have entered into an agreement to sell controlling interest of the Senators to Michael Andlauer. Michael represents everything we could have hoped to find coming into this process – a passionate owner who is committed to Ottawa,” said Plener. “I want to thank Anna and Olivia Melnyk for their dedication and support to the board of directors and executors of the estate during this process. We would also like to recognize the ongoing efforts of the National Hockey League and the outstanding work of Galatioto Sports Partners. We believe it is a momentous day for the National Capital Region.”

The deal still needs approval by the NHL’s Board of Governors.

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