A press release from the team on Friday said it “has begun a process to sell the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club.” “This was a necessary and prudent step to connect with those deeply interested parties who can show us what their vision is for the future of the team,” team president Sheldon Plener said in the statement. “A condition of any sale will be that the team remains in Ottawa.” The NHL team had no comment earlier this week when Los Angeles-based Sportico reported that the team had hired a sports banking firm that helps sell teams. Canadian superstar Ryan Reynolds appears to have expressed interest in buying the team. The sale follows the death of owner Eugene Melnyk, who left the team to his two daughters, Anna and Olivia. The team has a tentative agreement to work on a new downtown arena in LeBreton Flats, with the next update expected in January. That arena process is considered a key part of the sale, with his current home in west suburban Kanata nearing 30 years of use.
