Trevor Shackles: The Melnyk Rumours: I'll Believe it When I See it I'm not buying that Melnyk is selling the team until he actually does it

Yeah, it's that time o' year again. Speculation season!

Him selling would be great but it'd be nice to have this confirmed by the NHL, without naming the interested party(ies), of course. Not that the NHL would do that, IMO.

Yeah, it's that time o' year again. Speculation season!

Him selling would be great but it'd be nice to have this confirmed by the NHL, without naming the interested party(ies), of course. Not that the NHL would do that, IMO.
- Panzer_IVA

Just a rumour but someone I do business with in Ottawa has been telling me for a year that Alfie is with a group trying to buy Sens..

Everything that Melnyk has said and done over the last 2-3 years strongly points to him having significant cash flow issues. While the renewed line of credit and the Senators share of the Vegas/Seattle expansion fees should allow him to run the team for the next 2+ years, I'd think he'd want to sell before faced with a failure to meet payroll.

I'm expecting a sale of the team within 2 years.

You mentioned Karlsson wanted out but I don't believe he did. He just wanted more money than the Sens were willing to offer.

I wonder what his camp would be expecting of the Sens and Habs because he probably wanted 11 X 7 or 8 before this season started but it would definitely be a bad investment for any team in the league to pay that for what Karlsson is now.

The senators have plenty of offense on the blue line already so I don't think we really need someone like Karlsson who is now injury prone and a defensive liability.

I would only be ecstatic about Karlsson resigning with the Sens if it meant them ditching Ceci. And even at that I would only be cool with Karlsson signing for 8-9.5 mil. Major upside to resigning him would simply be PR.

I really think Ottawa should be more interested in a veteran, defensive minded defenseman with a right shot.

Everything that Melnyk has said and done over the last 2-3 years strongly points to him having significant cash flow issues. While the renewed line of credit and the Senators share of the Vegas/Seattle expansion fees should allow him to run the team for the next 2+ years, I'd think he'd want to sell before faced with a failure to meet payroll.

I'm expecting a sale of the team within 2 years.
- SensFan25

that's already happened...twice I believe....he's had to seek assistance from the league to make payroll

Any person who wants to buy the Senators would want to move it. Be careful what you wish for

Any person who wants to buy the Senators would want to move it. Be careful what you wish for
- BernardShakey

why do people not understand that it's not the owner who decides to move the team, it's the league and the board of governors............and they will NEVER move a team, when they can simply expand and get paid literally hundreds of millions of dollars.

also, Ottawa would never be moved when you still have the Arizona's and Florida's of the league out there.

If it is true that Karlsson would like to return to Ottawa, it speaks volumes about the goodness of the city and the fanbase - that such a superstar player would want to return, despite the presence of Melnyk.

Melnyk must go.

Here are my odds on stuff happening before the start of next season:

- Chance Melnyk sells the team this summer - Zero (I have given up hope!)
- Chance Dzingel returns - very low (and I am not too sad about this)
- Chance Spezza returns - very high (would be nice on a short term contract)
- Chance Karlsson returns - quite possible. After all, he was traded - he did not ask to leave. I can see Melnyk sucking up his pride to bring him back after the epic fail of losing Stone, Duchene and Dzingel at the end of this season.

Personally I do not think the Sens are nearly as bad as the naysayers say, and IMHO they are a decent goalie and a couple of RHDs away from competing for a spot in the playoffs. Their forwards are young and dynamic and having a decent goalie and D behind them would allow then to let loose and not worry too much of playing defense.

lmao

A legitimate rumour? Would be nice to freshen up the dark cloud.
The facts are though Melnyk is very rich. Loves NHL. Owns a prestigious toy....dont hold your breath

A legitimate rumour? Would be nice to freshen up the dark cloud.
The facts are though Melnyk is very rich. Loves NHL. Owns a prestigious toy....dont hold your breath
- spazzbot

you're confusing "very rich" and "having a high net worth".

Melnyk has a high net worth because he owns the Ottawa Senators (which are valued at like 500 mil or something).

he is absolutely not "very rich", at least not the "very rich" you need to be to own a franchise.

more than half his net worth is tied up in an entity that loses 30-40 mil per year....and he doesn't have other business interests to offset that loss.

add to that the fact that the Lebreton deal falling apart will probably decrease his net worth significantly once it's reassessed.

the guy is certainly richer than you or me....but in the relative terms of people who own sports teams....he's like the guy on the street corner who's begging for change

you're confusing "very rich" and "having a high net worth".

Melnyk has a high net worth because he owns the Ottawa Senators (which are valued at like 500 mil or something).

he is absolutely not "very rich", at least not the "very rich" you need to be to own a franchise.

more than half his net worth is tied up in an entity that loses 30-40 mil per year....and he doesn't have other business interests to offset that loss.

add to that the fact that the Lebreton deal falling apart will probably decrease his net worth significantly once it's reassessed.

the guy is certainly richer than you or me....but in the relative terms of people who own sports teams....he's like the guy on the street corner who's b3egging for change
- sensarmy_11

I am in agreement . It would be best if he left.
He owns several pharmaceutical companys. That make loads of money. Likely more businesses that make money.
The Sens may lose him money every year but those losses counteract the hundreds of millions he makes other wise in tax offsets.
Most ultra wealthy people dont have millions in the bank. All their money is is invested one way or another .

If it is true that Karlsson would like to return to Ottawa, it speaks volumes about the goodness of the city and the fanbase - that such a superstar player would want to return, despite the presence of Melnyk.

Melnyk must go.
- GalacticStone

I guess he would go back knowing Alfredson is behind the new ownership group

I am in agreement . It would be best if he left.
He owns several pharmaceutical companys. That make loads of money. Likely more businesses that make money.
The Sens may lose him money every year but those losses counteract the hundreds of millions he makes other wise in tax offsets.
Most ultra wealthy people dont have millions in the bank. All their money is is invested one way or another .
- spazzbot

he USED TO BE part of the ownership group of Biovail .....and was disgraced and kicked out amidst a huge fraud scandal. He wasn't part of multiple companies, I think the one company changed names a couple of times which is probably why you think more than one.

He still has a few shares of that company, which are now with a small fraction of what they used to be.

His net worth is decreasing SIGNIFICANTLY year after year. He is nowhere near weatlthy enough to be able to absorb the types of losses that this team experiences. He's already had to go to the league once or twice because he couldn't make payroll. he's had to re-finance multiple times and apply for lines of credit just to meet operating costs. people who are financially capable of owning sports franchises don't have to resort to things like that.

he USED TO BE part of the ownership group of Biovail .....and was disgraced and kicked out amidst a huge fraud scandal. He wasn't part of multiple companies, I think the one company changed names a couple of times which is probably why you think more than one.

He still has a few shares of that company, which are now with a small fraction of what they used to be.

His net worth is decreasing SIGNIFICANTLY year after year. He is nowhere near weatlthy enough to be able to absorb the types of losses that this team experiences. He's already had to go to the league once or twice because he couldn't make payroll. he's had to re-finance multiple times and apply for lines of credit just to meet operating costs. people who are financially capable of owning sports franchises don't have to resort to things like that.
- sensarmy_11

I like your tenacity of anti melnyk . You should be a reporter for fox or cnn.

Karlson never said he wanted out, didn't like the team, didn't like the owner, didn't like the organization....EVER.

Neither did Spezza.

Karlson never said he wanted out, didn't like the team, didn't like the owner, didn't like the organization....EVER.

Neither did Spezza.

I like your tenacity of anti melnyk . You should be a reporter for fox or cnn.
- spazzbot

while I am absolutely anti-melnyk..........all I'm doing is pointing out financial and economic facts. whether I love or hate him, those facts remain the same.

Karlson never said he wanted out, didn't like the team, didn't like the owner, didn't like the organization....EVER.

Neither did Spezza.
- Octavarium

spezza did ask for a trade.....but only after he was repeatedly thrown under the bus by the organization.

Everybody just needs to be patient. When LeBretton fell apart with everyone suing one another, it was already over for Melnyk. He has no place to go. I doubt he has the cash flow necessary to service the debt and finance the team. Remember, we are only 4 months since everything crashed on LeBretton.

The mere fact that everything is so quiet suggests some really serious stuff is being negotiated.

You mentioned Karlsson wanted out but I don't believe he did. He just wanted more money than the Sens were willing to offer.

I wonder what his camp would be expecting of the Sens and Habs because he probably wanted 11 X 7 or 8 before this season started but it would definitely be a bad investment for any team in the league to pay that for what Karlsson is now.

The senators have plenty of offense on the blue line already so I don't think we really need someone like Karlsson who is now injury prone and a defensive liability.

I would only be ecstatic about Karlsson resigning with the Sens if it meant them ditching Ceci. And even at that I would only be cool with Karlsson signing for 8-9.5 mil. Major upside to resigning him would simply be PR.

I really think Ottawa should be more interested in a veteran, defensive minded defenseman with a right shot.
- TDBSenatoR

He was not going to sign as long as Melnyk was the owner, it's as simple as that.

Karlson never said he wanted out, didn't like the team, didn't like the owner, didn't like the organization....EVER.

Neither did Spezza.
- Octavarium

Of course he never said that publicly. He loves the city and even loved playing for the team. But he wasn't going to play for this owner, it's pretty obvious that is what happened.

Everybody just needs to be patient. When LeBretton fell apart with everyone suing one another, it was already over for Melnyk. He has no place to go. I doubt he has the cash flow necessary to service the debt and finance the team. Remember, we are only 4 months since everything crashed on LeBretton.

The mere fact that everything is so quiet suggests some really serious stuff is being negotiated.
- spatso

Or the fact that it is summer ( i think ) and not much being said about anything. I kind of like no news drama ...its refreshing.