We will remember him as the man who saved the Senators from bankruptcy in 2003 and kept the NHL team in Ottawa, even though he occasionally angered fans by thinking of moving the franchise if he could not sell more tickets. This was Melnyk’s yin and yang. He burned executives and finance officials the way some people throw spent lotteries, and yet in his heart he wanted the Senators to succeed in Ottawa, he pushed hard to give them a bigger profile and burned to win a Stanley Cup. He came close – losing the Cup Final to Anaheim in 2007, and arguably losing an even better team in 2006, only to lose key goalkeeper Dominik Hasek to an injury at the Olympics. Under Melnyk’s tenure, the Senators and the City of Ottawa hosted a Junior World Championship (2009), an NHL All-Star Game (2012) and the NHL 100 Classic Outdoor Game in 2017. That year was also the most important. for the senators recent appearance in the playoffs, an amazing run in the final of the Eastern District. In recent years, Melnyk and his hockey team, led by Pierre Dorion, have undergone a major overhaul, which has resulted in the formation of a strong team in the future, led by captain Brady Tkachuk. Mr. Melnyk gave me, my teammates and many Sens players who came before us the opportunity to make our dream come true. You will miss the Ottawa community so much. Condolences to your family. https://t.co/lNeXwUDurF – brady tkachuk (@ BradyTkachuk71) March 29, 2022 Melnik arrived in 2003, as if on a white horse. The Senators, one of the leading ice crews at the time, were in the throes of bankruptcy, and Melnyk had the credentials – and bank account – as the founder and president of Biovail, once Canada’s largest pharmaceutical company. In his opening remarks after buying the franchise, Melnyk said he felt it was tragic when Quebec lost the Nordiques franchise in the mid-1990s, eventually moving to Denver. He was motivated to buy the Senators to ensure they would stay in Canada. A longtime Toronto native and proud product of St. Louis College. Michael’s, Melnyk had made prospects to buy the Maple Leafs, but when that was not completed, he bought their provincial rival, buying the arena and team for about $ 130 million. At times, Melnyk infuriated the fan base by talking casually about moving the franchise to a moment of one of its best triumphs – hosting the historic open-air match to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1917 NHL night. “I’re not going to do a lifetime of hard work to support a hockey team. “It will not happen,” Melnyk told Parliament Hill, which was the venue for the planned outdoor game, until safety concerns moved it to TD Place in Glebe. He was famous for “saying things”, combining the influence of an owner with the passion and unstable ways of a fan. While suggesting he could move the team, Melnik also said it was going to be the “best outdoor game” ever. “The words ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’ define a person,” NHL commissioner Gary Bateman said in a statement. Bettman did not entertain Melnyk’s thoughts in the open air, but he could not deny Melnyk’s move and spark, which sometimes led to big titles. In 2004, after Mike Fisher scored an extra goal against the Leafs to force the 7th game, I heard Melnyk in the Senators’ weight room say on a television camera, “We will kill them” in the decisive game. When the Senators lost 4-1 in Game 7 in Toronto, sources said a team owner threw the shelf with the stick in anger. Who did not love the passion of the man? There are many fans who probably wanted to do the same, after a mild end to a fourth defeat in the playoffs by the Leafs since 2000. After that defeat in 2004, Melnik fired coach Jacques Martin and Brian Murray was hired as coach. By 2007, Murray had succeeded John Muckler as a GM team and would form a close bond with Melnyk that would last until Murray died of cancer in 2017. Murray had a way of keeping Melnik calm in tense hockey moments. Without a doubt, Melnyk had some difficult relationships, especially in business, yet he loved his daughters, Olivia and Anna. Divorced from his wife Lori, Melnyk had a long-term relationship with Sharilyne Anderson. He once said it was necessary for the team to move to LeBreton Flats and was pleasantly shocked when the RendezVous LeBreton project he had supported won an offer to build a new arena as part of a huge development project. But that project collapsed in a crossroads between Melnyk and Trinity Developments. Melnik then said the team would do just fine in Canada. It was not only the club executives who came and went under Melnyk’s reign, but also the graduates. In recent years, former senators such as Daniel Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson and Chris Phillips have been alienated from the franchise and the original Senators Foundation disbanded. And yet, Melnik’s charity was a steady part of his tenure. I was at the St. John’s Health Center. Joseph in Toronto in 2005 when Melnik donated $ 5 million for a new hospital admission. The renovation was named in honor of Melnyk’s parents, Ukrainian Vera and Dr Ferdinand Melnyk. Dr. Melnyk was instrumental in the development of the first emergency department at St. Joseph. Melnik was extremely proud of his Ukrainian heritage. One of his latest initiatives was to pay tribute to the people of Ukraine, which is currently under siege by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Melnik arranged for the Ukrainian national anthem to be sung before each Senators home game at the Canadian Tire Center. Due to the pandemic and other financial pressures, the CTC did not have much attendance, even when fans were finally allowed to return to the venue as concerns about COVID-19 eased somewhat. But Melnyk would have been inspired to hear that in the last home game before his passing, the arena was rocking with more than 17,000 fans on hand to watch an exciting overtime game against the Florida Panthers. Melnyk and the team have revealed very little about his deteriorating health in recent weeks. Melnyk underwent a liver transplant in 2015 and while recovering somewhat, he had recurrent health problems. In recent years, there has been endless talk of Melnyk selling the band or at least hiring new partners, but enlisting alone. “Why sell it? “It’s something that is very difficult to buy,” Melnik said a few years ago. “It’s a lot of fun. What else are you going to do? I’m Canadian. I’m a hockey fan.” Melnyk often said that the franchise would remain in the hands of his daughters long after he left. Melnyk’s eldest, Anna, is still in her 20s, so it will be interesting to see how the family and the NHL move from here. With NHL teams selling more than $ 600 million, the family is at stake with much of the same amount as the Senators.
