Eugene Melnyk, the owner of the Ottawa Senators, died at the age of 62

Key Takeaways:

• The Senators announced on Monday night. At the time, the cause of death was unknown.
• Melnyk was the owner, governor, and chairman of the Ottawa Senators and Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League.
• Melnyk downsized his horse-racing operation in 2013, opting to buy yearlings and race them instead of breeding them.

The Ottawa Senators’ owner, Eugene Melnyk, died at 62.

The Senators announced the news on Monday night. The cause of death was unknown at the time.

The Ottawa Senators released a statement saying, “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 such an illness he faced with determination and courage.” “Eugene’s desire and commitment to bring the Stanley Cup to the nation’s capital never wavered.

“The Senators reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 and the Conference Finals in 2017 while under his ownership.” Eugene was confident that the current team of talented players and the coaching staff he and his organization had assembled would challenge for the championship and eventually deliver on that promise.”

Since 2003, Melnyk, a native of Toronto, has owned the Senators. In 2007, Ottawa made it to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Anaheim Ducks in five games.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman paid homage to Melnyk in a statement.

“The National Hockey League mourns the death of Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Ottawa Senators,” Bettman said. “The words ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’ are synonymous with the man who has currently owned the Ottawa Senators since 2003.

“While he was successful in business, he was most passionate about our game and his Senators. Eugene was outspoken, but he never wavered in his devotion to the game and his roots, and nothing made him happier than donning a senator’s sweater and rooting for his beloved team. I extend my heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire National Hockey League to Eugene’s daughters, Anna and Olivia, as well as his extended family and all those who benefited from his generosity.”

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk expressed his feelings about Melnyk on social media.

“Mr. Melnyk provided me, my teammates, and many Sens players before us with the opportunity to live out our dream,” Tkachuk wrote on Twitter. “The Ottawa community will miss you tremendously.” “Please take my heartfelt condolences on your loss and that of your family.”

Melnyk was the owner, governor, and chairman of the American Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators as well as Belleville Senators. He was also the founder and former chairman of Biovail Corp., Canada’s once-dominant pharmaceutical firm.

He was most recently chairman and CEO of Neuroligin, a start-up medical device company, as well as chairman of Clean Beauty Collective. This boutique company makes ethically sourced cosmetics.

He also served as an Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Melnyk was also a successful thoroughbred horse breeder, named Canada’s top owner on two occasions. His horses managed to win all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, including Archers Bay, who won the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes in 1998 and was named the country’s champion three-year-old male horse.

Archers Bay is named after a sunset-rich area in northwest Barbados. Eugene Melnyk’s first horse to run in the Queen’s Plate, and his victory validated his $125,000 purchase of the son of Silver Deputy at a Kentucky yearling sale.

Melnyk downsized his horse-racing operation in 2013, switching from breeding to buying yearlings and racing them instead. In 2017, Melnyk was named to the Canadian Hose Racing Hall of Fame.

Source: Global News