Former Ottawa Senators executive sues Melnyk, team for $1.55M

ekarlsson65

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Jan 11, 2015
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Link: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...m-for-1-55m-alleges-discord-behind-the-scenes

Highlights:

1) The claim alleges Melnyk “at times used profanity and levelled insults at executive team members, including constantly calling into question their competency. Mr. Melnyk sent abusive emails to the executive team and frequently threatened to dismiss them.”


2) During O’Leary’s tenure, he received strong performance reviews from then-club president Cyril Leeder.

“Peter is responsible for the largest mandate in the organization,” Leeder wrote in a performance evaluation included in O’Leary’s statement of claim. “He is able to properly prioritize the ‘big rocks’ and also deliver a high volume of output. He puts in many extra hours to ensure he is meeting deadlines, staying on top of issues and getting results required.”

O’Leary earned a $20,000 performance bonus for 2016, as approved by Leeder and Taylor, but Melnyk then allegedly advised Leeder not to pay staff bonuses. O’Leary says he was also owed, in the fall of 2016, $29,000 in vacation pay and an RRSP contribution of $24,519.35.

Around this time, Melnyk questioned O’Leary’s performance and his job title, the lawsuit alleges.

“How and when did you get the title of Chief Marketing Officer?” Melnyk asks O’Leary in an email included in the statement of claim.

“Peter — all time lows under my watch. Start thinking you are OFF all other projects other than selling immediate tickets. Drop the CMO title – MARKETING??? Drop the 2017 stuff, how are you making us money??? I lose millions this way . . . you will force us to start laying off dozens of people the day after the season. . .”

Melnyk later suggested to O’Leary that the CMO title was something O’Leary “grabbed and chose to hang onto.”




3) O’Leary claims it was difficult retaining and attracting staff when the hockey club reduced net pay and was late on bonus pay. He alleges the Senators made all departments reduce spending by 10 per cent, which led to personnel reductions, including janitors. As a result, “professional staff were required to clean offices and empty garbage bins.”
 

bert

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Nov 11, 2002
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This is deserving of its own thread. This is to discuss the lawsuit.

Big time!!!!

Somethings cant be discussed on this forum until its public knowledge. Im glad this ones out there for everyone to see.

Its just a glimpse into the madness that surrounds this man.
 

Tuna99

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Sep 26, 2009
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Melnyck has no class. No one can respect a Billionaire who doesn't pay his staff overtime and performance bonuses especially when they are putting in unpaid OT and extra hours for the company they care about, and on top of that they are working in what appears to be an atmosphere of low morale and low personal credit from the boss.

I can't stand Melnyck. He's just a crass man, with an arrogance beyong belief.

Money doesn't buy you class. And worst off, Melnyck takes credit for all the hours and time the players and coaches out into the community - I don't see Melnyck at the hospitals and doing things quietly behind the scenes like we've had since Redden was a teenager, Alfie, Fisher and all the great examples of Senators players who have really entwined themselves into the community and into our hearts.

When this team is sold, they will use words like colourful, eccentric to describe Melnyck because the media in the city will never critize him because he is so think skinned and vein, he'd lash back. But when the team is sold the collective fanbse will say 'Good Riddance'

For everything Melnyck claims to be or attempts to work towards, things likle this come up - it undermines everything he is putting into his legacy because you are defined by the poeple around you and the poeple around Melncyk don't like him. I even heard Bryan Murray say some things about Melnycks arrogance, it wasn't anything over the top, but he did say that Melnyck basically looks down on everyone around him - and you see this in the Crosby and Alfie comments and how he talks about the fans.

But we get to define him in this city, this is our team and not his, and we will.
 

jbeck5

Registered User
Jan 26, 2009
16,218
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Melnyck has no class. No one can respect a Billionaire who doesn't pay his staff overtime and performance bonuses especially when they are putting in unpaid OT and extra hours for the company they care about, and on top of that they are working in what appears to be an atmosphere of low morale and low personal credit from the boss.

Unfortunately that's the problem with this world. It's why despite many countries making strong efforts to become more socialist, we still have the richer getting richer and the middle class being wiped out.

I watched a documentary on vice where they were interviewing some guy about how he was making 100s of millions off of a business. When asked if the hard workers whom without them none of this would be possible get a little percentage of profits or some trickle down affect. The guy responded with a laugh and "uhh that's not really how this business works" as those 100s of workers were all living in boarder line supreme poverty and you have the boss worth almost a billion dollars. Why can't the boss make 25 million instead of 50 million a year and pay those 100s of workers proper 40,000+ benefits salaries? People are greedy. I'm not trying to defend melnyk. I'm saying, he's part of the problem if what I'm reading is true.
 

ekarlsson65

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Jan 11, 2015
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This is just another prominent case of a clueless owner who takes zero accountability on himself. Things go south, he's pointing the finger immediately. This is why owners and VP's and GM's need outside sources to challenge theories, to look at it from different angles, whether that requires hiring a consultant or not. Different opinions and theories is never a bad thing, and unfortunately we are still living in a "yes man" era. In the case of the Sens, I hope the fans continue to boycott the games until Eugene sells the team. I don't know why anyone would buy into the threat of Eugene saying he would consider moving the team if revenue continues to plummet. The NHL won't move Arizona and there's already an interested buyer in the Sens, so it's just a front he's portraying to the media. He's a joke, and this article further proves it.
 

DrunkUncleDenis

Condra Fan
Mar 27, 2012
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I'm sure this thread will provide a great platform for Melnyk complainers.

Personally, the guy sucked as his job and I think he is sour that he got fired. Not every billionaire is Richard Branson or Hank Scorpio. Not every boss is nice. But you get paid $300k a year, you can find a way to work with a crass, arrogant man, especially when woefully underperforming at your job.

This guy was in charge of sales and marketing? Sens Army, Young and Hungry, United in Red, Light a Mup (the marketing ad that that only ended up working because of a pun), the radio and TV ads.. the guy was lucky he held onto his job for as long as he did.

He received strong performance reviews from Leeder? Then I'm glad they both got the boot.

And god forbid you have to empty your own office garbage can.

Sounds like this guy couldn't take the heat of working closely with a Billionaire that demands results. If I was Melnyk, I'd be pissed off at the "Chief Marketing Officer" too. Melnyk called into question O'Leary's competency and I think that's fine because I doubt he had any.
 
Last edited:

bert

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I'm sure this thread will provide a great platform for Melnyk complainers.

Personally, the guy sucked as his job and I think he is sour that he got fired. Not every billionaire is Richard Branson. Not every boss is nice. But you get paid $300k a year, you can find a way to work with a crass, arrogant man, especially when woefully underperforming at your job.

This guy was in charge of sales and marketing? Sens Army, Young and Hungry, United in Red, Light a Mup (the marketing ad that that only ended up working because of a pun), the radio and TV ads.. the guy was lucky he held onto his job for as long as he did.

He received strong performance reviews from Leeder? Then I'm glad they both got the boot.

Did you read the entire article? It really doesn't seem like you did based on this post. Did you miss the part about firing janitors so that his own staff would have to do the job on top of their regular office duties.....? Janitors dont make 300k a year. If youre that oblivious to whats going on in this organization then your name must be downright accurate.

Did it ever occur to you with all the evidence that the 'melnyk complainers' are actually paying attention?!..
 

DrunkUncleDenis

Condra Fan
Mar 27, 2012
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Did you read the entire article? It really doesn't seem like you did based on this post. Did you miss the part about firing janitors so that his own staff would have to do the job on top of their regular office duties.....? Janitors dont make 300k a year. If youre that oblivious to whats going on in this organization then your name must be downright accurate.

Did it ever occur to you with all the evidence that the 'melnyk complainers' are actually paying attention?!..

I read it yesterday and again this morning when I saw this thread (but thanks for alluding to my username, I enjoyed that bert!) Have you ever thought that the office staff were forced to do their own cleaning and garbage removal because of the cutbacks DUE TO POOR TICKET SALES AND REVENUE, which, you know, was O'Leary's job?

I have been angry with this team's marketing department for over a decade. I'm glad Melnyk won't tolerate this type of failure anymore. He was fired because of his dismal performance.

Melnyk is a jerk. He's an arrogant billionaire. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Go work for Mucho Burrito's marketing department. Anselmi clearly had no problems taking the reins.

O’Leary was hired on Aug. 21, 2014 to be the Senators’ chief marketing officer and vice-president of ticketing

... I mean good grief, he was in charge of two of the weakest areas of the franchise. Who cares if his feeling were hurt in some emails.
 
Last edited:

CTC

Registered User
Oct 9, 2014
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I'm sure this thread will provide a great platform for Melnyk complainers.

Personally, the guy sucked as his job and I think he is sour that he got fired. Not every billionaire is Richard Branson or Hank Scorpio. Not every boss is nice. But you get paid $300k a year, you can find a way to work with a crass, arrogant man, especially when woefully underperforming at your job.

This guy was in charge of sales and marketing? Sens Army, Young and Hungry, United in Red, Light a Mup (the marketing ad that that only ended up working because of a pun), the radio and TV ads.. the guy was lucky he held onto his job for as long as he did.

He received strong performance reviews from Leeder? Then I'm glad they both got the boot.

And god forbid you have to empty your own office garbage can.

Sound slike this guy couldn't take the heat of working closely with a Billionaire that demands results. If I was Melnyk, I'd be pissed off at the "Chief Marketing Officer" too. Melnyk called into question O'Leary's competency snd I think that's fine because I doubt he had any.


I agree with you on this, the marketing sucks, the in game experience was not the greatest and if this is the guy responsible and his boss just keeps giving him a pat on the back, then they both need to go. The fans respond with their wallets and the home opener was a big resounding message. There was no hype, no capitalization on Karlsson, just an assumption that they would sellout because it was the home opener and it was the Leafs. I will gladly side with the Euge on this one, even though I can see that he is certainly tough to work for and deal with. If the Oleary had a contract and Melynk wanted out of it, I do not see it any different then the players salary, pay the man and get him out of there, sorry Mr. Billionaire you have to eat it but at the same time, the CMO was making 300k...with bonuses and allowances...I don't really feel bad for you.
 

Engineer

Rustled your jimmies
Dec 23, 2013
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My thoughts were posted in the other thread:

"I must have been reading a different article than you guys.

I'd be pissed if my executive earning over $300,000 in total earnings best marketing was "Young and Hungry" as well.

Not to mention the vast majority of this board agrees that the Sens marketing is a joke, and here, the owner is agreeing with us and fired the head of marketing, and somehow Melnyk is the bad guy.

Also lol @ expecting 24 months in termination notice."

I also find it incredibly transparent when people immediately consider Melnyk guilty rather than allowing the court case to determine who is and isn't guilty. Especially when you are trying to earn damages it is in your interest to paint the defender as poorly as possible.
 

Tuna99

Registered User
Sep 26, 2009
14,716
6,804
I'm sure this thread will provide a great platform for Melnyk complainers.

Personally, the guy sucked as his job and I think he is sour that he got fired. Not every billionaire is Richard Branson or Hank Scorpio. Not every boss is nice. But you get paid $300k a year, you can find a way to work with a crass, arrogant man, especially when woefully underperforming at your job.

This guy was in charge of sales and marketing? Sens Army, Young and Hungry, United in Red, Light a Mup (the marketing ad that that only ended up working because of a pun), the radio and TV ads.. the guy was lucky he held onto his job for as long as he did.

He received strong performance reviews from Leeder? Then I'm glad they both got the boot.

And god forbid you have to empty your own office garbage can.

Sounds like this guy couldn't take the heat of working closely with a Billionaire that demands results. If I was Melnyk, I'd be pissed off at the "Chief Marketing Officer" too. Melnyk called into question O'Leary's competency and I think that's fine because I doubt he had any.

For a man with billions of dollars and the dream of owning an NHL team come true - is there a bigger complainer in the NHL then Melnyck? He takes the bait on everything, and you don't get sued because you owe peiple money generally, you get sued because they feel mistreated and unjustly dealt with and they want their pound of flesh, like how Melnyck sued Heatley (most immature lawsuit in NHL history - he didn't like me so I'm going to go after him)

Melncyk is a joke around the league, turn on any radio station outside of Ottawa (TSN1200 won't say boo about Melnyck) and they were all ripping him for the unhinged mouth that he is.

and you are 100% right, not every boss is nice. But don't hold a press conference telling me you are the most important thing in the city, you do so much selfless work for others and tell the fanbase how lucky we are to have you as an owner and then have your actions and words be the exact opposite.
 

DrunkUncleDenis

Condra Fan
Mar 27, 2012
11,820
1,682
My thoughts were posted in the other thread:

"I must have been reading a different article than you guys.

I'd be pissed if my executive earning over $300,000 in total earnings best marketing was "Young and Hungry" as well.

Not to mention the vast majority of this board agrees that the Sens marketing is a joke, and here, the owner is agreeing with us and fired the head of marketing, and somehow Melnyk is the bad guy.

Also lol @ expecting 24 months in termination notice."

I also find it incredibly transparent when people immediately consider Melnyk guilty rather than allowing the court case to determine who is and isn't guilty. Especially when you are trying to earn damages it is in your interest to paint the defender as poorly as possible.

$700,000 in damages.. that's a lawyer trying to get a big paycheck.

I have no issue with Melnyk being forced to pay him out what he is owed due to contract termination, bonuses he is owed, etc. But the rest.. not so much.
 

Icelevel

During these difficult times...
Sep 9, 2009
24,646
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Yeah I don't care for melnyk. At all. My fingers are always crossed that he sells the team to someone with a brain.
 

DrunkUncleDenis

Condra Fan
Mar 27, 2012
11,820
1,682
For a man with billions of dollars and the dream of owning an NHL team come true - is there a bigger complainer in the NHL then Melnyck? He takes the bait on everything, and you don't get sued because you owe peiple money generally, you get sued because they feel mistreated and unjustly dealt with and they want their pound of flesh, like how Melnyck sued Heatley (most immature lawsuit in NHL history - he didn't like me so I'm going to go after him)

Melncyk is a joke around the league, turn on any radio station outside of Ottawa (TSN1200 won't say boo about Melnyck) and they were all ripping him for the unhinged mouth that he is.

and you are 100% right, not every boss is nice. But don't hold a press conference telling me you are the most important thing in the city, you do so much selfless work for others and tell the fanbase how lucky we are to have you as an owner and then have your actions and words be the exact opposite.

Alright, so we have found common ground. But look at it this way. An underperforming employee got fired by his jerk boss. Pay the guy what he is owed and move on. I don't agree with how Melnyk treats people, but that isn't grounds to sue for over 1 million dollars.
 

jason2020

Registered User
Sep 24, 2014
5,596
1
This is just another prominent case of a clueless owner who takes zero accountability on himself. Things go south, he's pointing the finger immediately. This is why owners and VP's and GM's need outside sources to challenge theories, to look at it from different angles, whether that requires hiring a consultant or not. Different opinions and theories is never a bad thing, and unfortunately we are still living in a "yes man" era. In the case of the Sens, I hope the fans continue to boycott the games until Eugene sells the team. I don't know why anyone would buy into the threat of Eugene saying he would consider moving the team if revenue continues to plummet. The NHL won't move Arizona and there's already an interested buyer in the Sens, so it's just a front he's portraying to the media. He's a joke, and this article further proves it.

I think some fans might scare off local ownership.
 

ekarlsson65

Registered User
Jan 11, 2015
515
0
Ottawa
It seems pretty clear that although Mr. O'Leary did a horrible job with the marketing and promotion, Eugene's lack of direction and objectives played a huge part in the failure of this process. It's almost as if he's telling O'Leary he's an idiot, but has no one surrounding him that can give an adequate solution to the problem.
 

jason2020

Registered User
Sep 24, 2014
5,596
1
For a man with billions of dollars and the dream of owning an NHL team come true - is there a bigger complainer in the NHL then Melnyck? He takes the bait on everything, and you don't get sued because you owe peiple money generally, you get sued because they feel mistreated and unjustly dealt with and they want their pound of flesh, like how Melnyck sued Heatley (most immature lawsuit in NHL history - he didn't like me so I'm going to go after him)

Melncyk is a joke around the league, turn on any radio station outside of Ottawa (TSN1200 won't say boo about Melnyck) and they were all ripping him for the unhinged mouth that he is.

and you are 100% right, not every boss is nice. But don't hold a press conference telling me you are the most important thing in the city, you do so much selfless work for others and tell the fanbase how lucky we are to have you as an owner and then have your actions and words be the exact opposite.

He is not seen as a joke as for media rips Melynk sure but they also rip Mlse etc.
 

DrunkUncleDenis

Condra Fan
Mar 27, 2012
11,820
1,682
It seems pretty clear that although Mr. O'Leary did a horrible job with the marketing and promotion, Eugene's lack of direction and objectives played a huge part in the failure of this process. It's almost as if he's telling O'Leary he's an idiot, but has no one surrounding him that can give an adequate solution to the problem.

I see where you're coming from, but as the CMO, you are ultimately in charge of finding a solution. If you can't come up with any, you don't deserve to have that title or position. I mean why would you pay someone that much money if they don't have any good ideas for the plebs to carry out?
 

Xspyrit

DJ Dorion
Jun 29, 2008
30,708
9,651
Montreal, Canada
I would like Melnyk to sell the team and maybe have a new way of doing things... but who in their right mind would buy this business? There's a ton more profitable business out there. This franchise is stuck between Toronto, Montreal and New York and has a very weak fanbase as a result. How do you grow the business as direct competition has money and people to accentuate the growth?
 

ReginKarlssonLehner

Let's Win It All
May 3, 2010
40,755
11,055
Dubai Marina
I would like Melnyk to sell the team and maybe have a new way of doing things... but who in their right mind would buy this business? There's a ton more profitable business out there. This franchise is stuck between Toronto, Montreal and New York and has a very weak fanbase as a result. How do you grow the business as direct competition has money and people to accentuate the growth?

Tavares + EK
 

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