News Article: Melnyk: 'not selling the team — period'

[YouGotAStuGoing]

You do know that the word IF means, right?

It's not even about the cap floor for me, honestly. If there were a clear direction, or a plan in place to make the team better that required a few lean years, I'd be okay with it. It's the lack of direction, the lack of a plan, and the lack of logical hockey decisions that stick in my craw. It's the fact that every move has to involve money. I have enough financial concerns in my own life without having to think about a hobby with every move in the context of dollars and cents.

 

[Sensung]

It's not even about the cap floor for me, honestly. If there were a clear direction, or a plan in place to make the team better that required a few lean years, I'd be okay with it. It's the lack of direction, the lack of a plan, and the lack of logical hockey decisions that stick in my craw. It's the fact that every move has to involve money. I have enough financial concerns in my own life without having to think about a hobby with every move in the context of dollars and cents.

The really crazy thing is that if Melnyk hadn't poisoned the well with this fanbase, he could have easily sold the idea of cutting cost and going full rebuild while he saved money for the Lebreton project.

The fanbase wouldn't love it, but some pain over the next few years with the payoff of having a team ready to compete with the new arena could have been sold to this marketplace.

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

When has any team owner collapsed his own bid on a multi billion dollar project when there were other bidders and willing buyers in place?

WOW, expressing his concern over three other Condo development projects surrounding Lebreton Flats, that will be on the market before the RLG condos are, and thereby having a potential glut of condos in the area, is "collapsing his own bid" ....... now that is a long stretch.

Can you post anything of substance that the RLG Lebreton Flats development project is "collapsed"?

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

You do know that the word IF means, right?

Other NHL franchises have ran their teams payroll at the Cap Floor, were they "forced to sell"?

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

There was no cap but...Rod Bryden? He couldn’t afford to run the team anymore so he had to sell.

Not the exact question posed but I would assume if Melnyk cannot afford to run the team anymore he would be forced to sell.

 

[harrisb]

Other NHL franchises have ran their teams payroll at the Cap Floor, were they "forced to sell"?

If EK, Ryan and Hoffman are gone I think our payroll will be below cap floor. Our cap will be at it but with Mac, Phaneuf, Gaborik and maybe Burrows + the players paid below their cap hit we could be below. The only other team I can think of that approached that in the NHL was Phoenix, how's that working out for them?

In the new NHL rebuilding teams acquire dead cap for assets, we give away assets for dead cap so we don't have to pay. There is something sorely wrong with this approach

 

[Sensung]

WOW, expressing his concern over three other Condo development projects surrounding Lebreton Flats, that will be on the market before the RLG condos are, and thereby having a potential glut of condos in the area, is "collapsing his own bid" ....... now that is a long stretch.

Can you post anything of substance that the RLG Lebreton Flats development project is "collapsed"?

Wow, it's so unlike you to try and misconstrue my words...

He has talked openly about keeping the team in Kanata and questioned the viability of HIS OWN BID.

Could be a negotiation ploy, or it could be that his finances are so poor that he can't complete his obligations.

IF, he tries to keep the team in Kanata, guts the team of talent and runs at the cap floor, then the fans will make him pay via boycott and force him out.

 

[justafan22]

 

[NorthCoast]

WOW, expressing his concern over three other Condo development projects surrounding Lebreton Flats, that will be on the market before the RLG condos are, and thereby having a potential glut of condos in the area, is "collapsing his own bid" ....... now that is a long stretch.

Can you post anything of substance that the RLG Lebreton Flats development project is "collapsed"?

I think the pertinent point is that few other investors would raise this issue publicly, because while the number of condo's might be a concern, it really just impacts how long until you see ROI (the condo's will all be needed eventually). But for Melnyk it is potentially a make or break concern because the loan he wants to secure to fund the projects is based on advanced condo sales and having to wait longer to pay back the loan might be limiting the amount/rate of the loan.

Not saying that this wouldn't be a major project issue for anyone, but maybe its 's more of a make or break for Melnyk because he doesn't have the cash reserves or additional assets to leverage that could offset investment he was expecting from the condo sales.

 

[Fandlauer]

Eugene's fat head was front and center everywhere last night. I think that was a purposeful shot across the bow to all of us that want him out. This doesn't look like a guy that's going to be selling anytime soon.

 

[Upgrayedd]

We have come along way, nice to have regular media getting this stuff out there on the reg, remember years back when it was simply discussed on here by smaller groups and what not?

 

[Sensung]

Eugene's fat head was front and center everywhere last night. I think that was a purposeful shot across the bow to all of us that want him out. This doesn't look like a guy that's going to be selling anytime soon.

Sadly, I agree.

 

[GrantLemons]

Attendance is going to brutal next year regardless of what happens with EK this summer. We'll see how long he wants to hang onto the team when there's 9k in attendance for weekday games in November.

 

[Grizwald]

Attendance is going to brutal next year regardless of what happens with EK this summer. We'll see how long he wants to hang onto the team when there's 9k in attendance for weekday games in November.

Melnyk is expertly following Bill Wirtz's plan of fan alienation followed by fan rejection, hopefully leading to the sale of the franchise to competent, professional owners who bring the team back from the depths of hell to health, success and prosperity. In this regard Melnyk is a genius.

 

[Hutz]

Oh yeah, I'm not claiming we have any idea what's going on behind the scenes. Obviously he's far more well-positioned for that. I'm talking more about fan sentiment, which I don't think he puts much stock into.

Fair enough. I'd guarantee he's pretty well versed in our concerns as well... he'll never call an owner out, but I feel we got about as close as we possibly could at the outdoor game. If he wasn't before, that outdoor sideshow must've made it pretty clear to him.

I'm a Sens fan, of course, but hockey fans in general should be pretty disappointed if he allows the Sens to move after 10-15 years of being a top-10 attendance team while propping up teams with far lower attendance. I don't know where that sort of talk even comes from, it doesn't really make sense to me. If it's Dave Lozo's article, I'm pretty sure that was tongue in cheek.

Only 1 team has moved in the past 20 years now and that was a circumstance where the team literally didn't have a place to play in that city.

I'm a Sens fan for better or worse... moreso than an nhl fan. If the nhl were to leave Ottawa, I'll just stop caring about nhl hockey altogether. I don't think we're close to that point, though, and again, it confuses me that that's a thing that people are even talking about.

 

[Samboni]

Eugene's fat head was front and center everywhere last night. I think that was a purposeful shot across the bow to all of us that want him out. This doesn't look like a guy that's going to be selling anytime soon.

My thinking exactly!

 

[Ray Kinsella]

When has any team owner, that has run their franchise at the Cap floor, been forced to sell their franchise?

Anxiously waiting for your answer to your own question...

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Other NHL franchises have ran their teams payroll at the Cap Floor, were they "forced to sell"?

We’ll be at the cap floor because of Eugene’s inability to handle his debt.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Anxiously waiting for your answer to your own question...

He won't. He's too busy getting another barrel of gas.

 

[Xspyrit]

I'm honestly starting to think Melnyk is going to try and move this team. There's no way he can hang on here and he can't afford Lebreton.

If he actually wants to remain an owner, it's his only option. I'm not saying it will work, but I can see him trying his absolute damndest.

Same here, IF the Lebreton project won't happen for Melnyk, I actually think he may be preparing his vengeance (I say this because nobody likes to be treated like shit, ex : see Craig Anderson). He is a billionaire and has a gigantic ego so he could let the situation become so bad that it would force a NHL relocation (and we know there's several intriguing markets targeted by the NHL). As long as he owns the team, he has the control over it and I don't think anyone can "force" him to sell.

If Karlsson moves (and then maybe Duchene and/or Stone), then it means the team is totally rebuilding, which means low attendance and low general financial support, which means more financial problems. We know that Ottawa is not the most viable market to begin with, it wouldn't support a losing team very long.

I'm hoping to see an EK, Stone and Duchene extensions in the next 2 weeks. If not, I would be worried. We have no choice to be patient and wait to see what will happen. If those 3 sign an extension, then it's very good news. But that damn Lebreton projects needs to happen as fast as possible, no matter who owns the team.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

This honestly makes me uncontrollably angry.

 

[Flamingo]

Same here, IF the Lebreton project won't happen for Melnyk, I actually think he may be preparing his vengeance (I say this because nobody likes to be treated like ****, ex : see Craig Anderson). He is a billionaire and has a gigantic ego so he could let the situation become so bad that it would force a NHL relocation (and we know there's several intriguing markets targeted by the NHL). As long as he owns the team, he has the control over it and I don't think anyone can "force" him to sell.

If Karlsson moves (and then maybe Duchene and/or Stone), then it means the team is totally rebuilding, which means low attendance and low general financial support, which means more financial problems. We know that Ottawa is not the most viable market to begin with, it wouldn't support a losing team very long.

I'm hoping to see an EK, Stone and Duchene extensions in the next 2 weeks. If not, I would be worried. We have no choice to be patient and wait to see what will happen. If those 3 sign an extension, then it's very good news. But that damn Lebreton projects needs to happen as fast as possible, no matter who owns the team.

Ottawa would support a losing team, imo. The fans are caught in a resentful stand-off with the owner after a federal government pay problem (which is still going on, btw).

I think Eugene is still in it to win it, he's not embarking on a scorched earth campaign to spite the fans. But he does restrict the team's budget to current revenue. I don't see any signs that he's selling. We'll see how long this franchise can tread water, or if he does commit to paying his star players and try to compete next season. Dorion's said as much -- the team will be better next season -- and I don't think he's a liar. I don't think he expects the team to be better without Karlsson. Does he just mean that we won't finish 2nd-last in the league?

 

[Tuna99]

This honestly makes me uncontrollably angry.

I watched the draft and all Sens staff was laughing with Melnyck and treating him Like the greatest guy on earth, ass-kissing at a juvenile degree. You can see how they just want to keep him happy and distracted from his anger and senility, way easier to manage someone who is getting all the attention his ego needs.

Melnyck at the draft table just seems like such a huge distraction, the draft for Dorion is hard enough especially these days, but having to manage your fragile boss makes it 100x harder.

 

[The Lewler]

I watched the draft and all Sens staff was laughing with Melnyck and treating him Like the greatest guy on earth, ass-kissing at a juvenile degree. You can see how they just want to keep him happy and distracted from his anger and senility, way easier to manage someone who is getting all the attention his ego needs.

Melnyck at the draft table just seems like such a huge distraction, the draft for Dorion is hard enough especially these days, but having to manage your fragile boss makes it 100x harder.

That's the job. It was the job when BMurr was here and Dorion knew it was the job when he took it.

It's also many peoples realities at their respective jobs. Managing your mercurial boss is sadly a commonly shared experience.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

It's also many peoples realities at their respective jobs. Managing your mercurial boss is sadly a commonly shared experience.

A key reason as go why competence is consistently underappreacited in today's world.

Someone gets stuff done but ruffle feathers? Screw that guy, let's promote the one who makes the boss happy because they have a similar sense of humour!