Minutes after it was confirmed on Tuesday that billionaire Michael Andlauer and his group had reached a tentative agreement to buy the Senators, speculation began.
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Those working in the Ottawa Senators’ front office might be better off listening to the noise for now.
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Minutes after it was confirmed Tuesday that billionaire Michael Andlauer and his group of associates had reached a tentative agreement with New York banker Galatoto Sports Partners to buy the Senators from the estate of the late Eugene Melnyk, speculation began.
Who will be the next CEO? Who is the person who will take over the position of technical director? The announcement came as legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy confirmed he would not be returning to the Quebec Remparts bench in the QMJHL.
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Will he be the next coach? Who really knows?
There was speculation that Steve Staios, general manager of Andalusia for several years with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario hockey team, would take over as the club’s general manager.
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Nobody really knows if this is the case.
But everyone needs to step back, relax, and see what happens over the summer, because there’s not going to be a change anytime soon unless this deal goes through soon.
As hard as it is for general manager Pierre Dorion, coach D.J. Smith and the rest of the hockey operations team, they need to operate as if everything is business as usual, as it could be months before Melnyk ownership hands over just the keys to Andlauer and his kit.
Let’s get one thing straight, if Dorion returns, he’ll want Smith back next season.
When Andlauer was part of a group with Geoff Molson that bought the Montreal Canadiens in 2009, the deal closed on May 23. The new owners did not receive the keys from American businessman George Gillett until before training camp began in September.
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Business could be done faster with electronic signatures but it took a month to get the deal in principle and the club has been on sale for eight months now.
Nothing will happen quickly here, it’s just the truth.
“The best estimate is a few weeks to two months (to do the paperwork),” the league’s governor told Postmedia on Tuesday. We have periodic procedures and (the estate has) closing procedures. The worst case scenario is September. »
It’s a critical time for the Senators to make changes for next season.
The inaugural season officially kicked off on Wednesday after Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup Tuesday night, so work will now begin in earnest to get the league to make the necessary changes.
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When Andlauer, 57, made his strong bid for a Senate seat on May 15, he knew he wouldn’t be able to effect changes in the organization right away. He understood that he would not have a say in the NHL Draft to be held June 28 and 29 in Nashville or in free agency as of July 1.
Dorion and members of his professional scouting team locked themselves in a room at the Canadian Tire Center until Thursday, going through all sorts of scenarios for potential trade options for winger Alex DeBrincat and debating which players might be available depending on what changes they want to make.
This impending sale cannot stop Dorion from doing what he needs to do to prepare this club for next season. DeBrincat has indicated that he doesn’t want to sign here long-term, so the best case scenario is to find a dance partner to transfer him before the draft.
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Although DeBrincat, 25, does not have a no-move clause in his contract, he and his agent Jeff Jackson have provided the organization with a list of destinations he would be willing to sign.
This list includes his hometown Detroit Red Wings, as well as the Florida Panthers, Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. The Knights and Panthers don’t have enough room to close a deal for DeBrincat, so it’s going to take a lot of maneuvering to get there.
After giving up seventh place in the NHL competition last spring in Montreal for DeBrincat, who scored 27 goals last season, Dorion knows he has to strike while the iron is hot with a double-digit 40 goals. This is one of those times when it’s the right time to make a deal.
DeBrincat will receive a qualifying offer of $9 million (all US figures) from the Senators on June 25. If necessary, he will play the last year of his contract in Ottawa until the March 2024 trade deadline.
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Dorion will have to decide if he wants to go to arbitration for a 15% cut on DeBrincat’s deal by 5 p.m. Monday.
Dorion should also struggle against the club’s goaltender and add some toughness as stalwart winger Austin Watson heads to unrestricted free agency on July 1. .
Selling Senators to Andalor shouldn’t lack enthusiasm, but don’t think there will be new faces overnight.
BGarrioch@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/sungarrioch
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