Horrible news from the Nation’s Capital.
The Ottawa Senators made the shocking announcement on Monday evening that team owner and governor Eugene Melnyk has passed away from an unspecified illness.
He was 62.
“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,” said the team in a statement.
Melnyk, who was born in Toronto in 1959 to Ukrainian parents, purchased the Senators in 2003, overseeing the team throughout their lone trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, and then to their hotly contested appearance in the Eastern Conference Final in 2017.
Melnyk also owned the Senators’ AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, and oversaw the franchise’s establishment in the city of Belleville in 2017. Previously, Melnyk also served as the owner of the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors of the OHL.
Formal details regarding any public visitations have yet to be revealed.