Earlier, during the summer, he assured locals who had long worried about the team relocating, “I’m guaranteeing you the team is going to be staying in Ottawa now.” And he knew the right notes to hit with the team’s most fervent fans. The 44-year-old billionaire introduced a new era for the franchise with a bang, an event that cost more than $2 million. 8, 2003, and actor Alan Thicke was at Melnyk’s side, helping him kick off a free Eagles concert for season ticket holders, suite owners and sponsors of the Senators. Eugene Melnyk stood before a microphone on a stage at the Corel Centre in Ottawa, blushing as the crowd of around 16,000 people cheered the new owner of the city’s beloved NHL team.
