The senators made the announcement on Monday night. The cause of death was not immediately known. “It is with great sadness that the family of Eugene Melnyk and the hockey organization Ottawa Senators announce his death on March 28, 2022 after an illness he endured with determination and courage,” the team said in a statement. “Eugene has never wavered in his desire and commitment to bring the Stanley Cup to the nation’s capital. “Under his ownership, the Senators played in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2017 Conference Finals. Eugene was confident that the current team of talented players and coaching staff he created and his organization would challenge and eventually make that league promise. “ Melnyk stands near the ice at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa in September 2017. He has owned the Senators since 2003. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press)
Melnik, originally from Toronto, has owned the Senators since 2003. In 2007, Ottawa reached the Stanley Cup before losing five games to the Anaheim Ducks. In a statement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman paid tribute to Melnyk. “The National Hockey League is mourning the death of Ottawa Sen. owner Eugene Melnik,” said Batman. “The words ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’ have defined the man who has owned the Ottawa Senators since 2003. “While he was successful in business, it was our game and his senators that got him the most. Eugene was often honest, but he had a firm commitment to the game and his roots and he liked nothing more than wearing a sweater. Senators and cheer for the favorite group. “On behalf of the entire National Hockey League, I extend my deepest condolences to Eugene’s daughters, Anna and Olivia, his extended family and all those who have benefited from his generosity.” Senator Brady Tkachuk tweeted condolences Monday night. 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 – @ BradyTkachuk71
Melnik was the owner, governor and chairman of the Ottawa Senators and Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. He was also the founder and former president of Biovail Corp., once Canada’s largest pharmaceutical company. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Neurolign, a new medical device company, and chairman of Clean Beauty Collective, a boutique company that produces ethical products.

An avid horse breeder, philanthropist

He was also an Honorary Colonel of the Canadian Armed Forces. Melnyk was a successful purebred horse breeder, twice being named Canada’s top owner. His horses won all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, including the Archers Bay that occupied the ’98 Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes en route to being named the three-year-old Canadian champion Canadian Horse. Archers Bay takes its name from an area known for its sunsets in northwestern Barbados. The foal was the first horse Melnyk ever ran on Queen’s Plate, and the victory confirmed his decision to spend $ 125,000 on his Silver Deputy son at an annual discount in Kentucky. In 2013, Melnyk reduced his horse racing and went from breeding to buying one-year-olds and competing. Melnyk was inducted into the Canadian Hose Racing Hall of Fame in 2017. He was also a philanthropist with the Senators Community Foundation, investing more than $ 100 million in local charities and community programs that help children and young people throughout the capital. Melnyk was the principal donor to Anna House, a child care unit in Belmont, New York, and Roger Nielson House, a pediatric palliative care unit in Ottawa named after a beloved former coach. Statement by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the death of Eugene Melnyk. pic.twitter.com/oLAO8KqCBS – @ PR_NHL