Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has died at 62, team announces

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has died at the age of 62. The Senators made the announcement Monday night. The cause of death was not immediately known. “It is with great sadness that the family of Eugene Melnyk and the Ottawa Senators hockey organization announce his passing on March 28, 2022 after an illness he faced with determination and courage,” the team said in a statement. “Eugene never wavered in his desire and commitment to bring the Stanley Cup to the nation’s capital. Read more: Ottawa Senators will no longer require fans to be masked as of Saturday’s home game “Under his ownership, the Senators played in the 2007 Stanley Cup finals and the Conference Finals in 2017.

Eugene was confident the current team of talented players and coaching staff that he and his organization built will challenge for and eventually deliver on that championship promise.” Melnyk, a Toronto native, has owned the Senators since 2003.

In 2007, Ottawa reached the Stanley Cup before losing in five games to the Anaheim Ducks. In a statement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman paid tribute to Melnyk. “The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk,” Bettman said. “The words ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’ define the man who has owned the Ottawa Senators since 2003. “While successful in business, it was our game and his Senators that he was most passionate about.

Eugene was often outspoken but he maintained an unwavering commitment to the game and his roots and he loved nothing more than donning a Senators sweater and cheering on his beloved team.