ESPN’s Emily Kaplan is reporting that an investor group including Hollywood megastar Ryan Reynolds will not be moving forward with a bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators. Kaplan relays that several sources close to the bidding process have informed ESPN of the development. The Canadian-born actor was part of a consortium led by real estate developer the Remington Group.
Reynolds met with NHL representatives in late 2022 and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman subsequently confirmed that Reynolds had interest in becoming an NHL owner. Reynolds confirmed his interest publicly a short time later. The bidding process for the Senators has sparked interest from several celebrities, including musicians The Weekend and Snoop Dogg.
The news of Reynold’s group dropping out is sure to disappoint Senators fans, as Reynolds is beloved in Canada and even lived in Ottawa for a spell during his childhood. His appearance at a Senators game this year created a huge buzz in the city at a time when interest in Senators games had started to wane.
The NHL figures to be disappointed as well. Bettman had commented publicly back in December that he was very impressed with Reynolds and thought it would be great for Ottawa and the league if the celebrity could be involved with the club.
While Reynolds' bid will not be moving forward, the investor groups which include The Weekend and Snoop Dogg are still in the mix ahead of the bid deadline on May 15 deadline. It will be an interesting few days in Canada’s capital city upcoming.
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