Since nearly the moment the Ottawa Senators initiated a process of sale, actor Ryan Reynolds has been linked to the team. What began as a playful emoji response on Twitter grew some legs, and last night on The Tonight Show, Reynolds directly addressed the speculation. Admitting that he is trying to get involved, he noted that he would need financial partners with “deep pockets” to put a bid together.
The 46-year-old Hollywood star purchased Wrexham AFC, a low-level professional football club in Wales last year and has a stake in FuboTV, a sports streaming service that includes the NHL in certain regions.
Another potential buyer is Jeff York, brother of former NHL player Jason York and Farm Boy executive. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reported a few days ago that while York is also trying to put together a group to make the purchase, the NHL would prefer a single owner with a large majority stake. York was part of a group with a rival bid on the LeBreton Flats development project in 2016 when former Senators owner Eugene Melnyk appeared to be close to a downtown arena before lawsuits derailed the process.
The Senators have hired Galatioto Sports Partners to assist in the transaction and there is no risk of relocation at this time.
I find very few Hollywood people to be likable, but Ryan Reynolds certainly is.
Yeah, but if I’m a guy with deep pockets who wants to drop 600 large on a hockey team in Ottawa, what do I need Ryan Reynolds for? The Melnyk sisters want to sell, SOMEone’s going to pony up the bucks to get it. Reynolds isn’t a shyster like Howard Baldwin, but I think the sport’s had enough of people owning teams with other people’s money.