Snapshots: Senators, Southeast Rookie Showcase, Makar

The sale of the Ottawa Senators to Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer is in its final stages, with the $950MM deal set to be completed by next month, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The NHL aims to have the agreement signed by the end of this month or early September. Andlauer, 57, is expected to meet with the NHL’s executive committee, led by Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, for approval, followed by a conference call with the NHL’s board of governors which requires a two-thirds majority vote but is expected to be unanimous, says Garrioch. His partners in the deal include Anna and Olivia Melnyk, local businessman Jeff York, the Ottawa real estate-based Malhotra family, Toronto-based investment group Yorkville Asset Management, and others.

Once approved, Andlauer’s ownership of the Senators is expected to be a smooth transition – per Garrioch, he’s kept in continuous contact with Senators governor Sheldon Plener and has kept in touch with Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion throughout the sale process. Garrioch also expects former Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson to have a role in the team’s player development post-sale. There’s additional speculation about former Senators president Cyril Leeder returning to the role, as Anthony LeBlanc recently resigned as the club’s president of business operations.

Elsewhere from around the NHL this morning:

• Another rookie showcase-type tournament before training camps start has been confirmed. The Florida Panthers are hosting a four-team tournament including themselves, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators from September 15 to 18 at the Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida, home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. While not set in stone nor publicized, players with less than three seasons of pro experience and less than 50 NHL games under their belts are generally eligible to participate in rookie tournaments, although eligibility rules are set individually league-wide by tournament organizers.
• Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is landing on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 24, set for release in October. It’s the first such nod for the 2022 Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe winner. The 24-year-old is the first defenseman on the game’s cover in five years – Nashville Predators defender P.K. Subban was the last one, appearing on the NHL 19 cover. He becomes the third Avalanche to get the nod, succeeding Peter Forsberg on NHL 98 and Joe Sakic on NHL 2004.