Ryan Reynolds-led group scuttles bid for NHL team

Although Reynolds is one of Canada’s most recognizable stars, he was not the only celebrity to throw his hat into the ring before exiting the running on Thursday. Rapper Snoop Dogg and singer The Weeknd each attached themselves to bids for the team; the former has been particularly vocal about his vision for the future of hockey.

The Senators are still a hot property, but Ottawa’s fans could be forgiven for being disappointed that Reynolds will not continue his pursuit of the team.

The "Deadpool" star went so far as to meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about his plans for the franchise and has had success elsewhere in the world of sports. Reynolds’s ownership of Welsh soccer team Wrexham has been well-documented; the club returned to League Two for the first time in more than a decade earlier this year.

The Senators ownership in the wake of Eugene Melnyk’s death has been one of the stories of the season, and the team is in flux on the ice as well as in the business world. 

GM Pierre Dorion has acquired Alex DeBrincat, Jakob Chychrun, Claude Giroux and Cam Talbot over the past two seasons, and the Ottawa fans are expecting their first playoff hockey since 2017 no matter who owns the team.