Gary Bettman: 'Whoever buys [Senators] is doing so to keep it in Ottawa'

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman spoke to the media in a press conference prior to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Sunrise, Florida. 

Bettman is celebrating 30 years on the job this weekend after being named the NHL’s first commissioner in 1993. 

There were a number of topics floated around and Bettman provided an update on the sale process of the Ottawa Senators. 

The Senators of course were put up for sale in November 2022 following the passing of owner Eugene Melnyk earlier in March. He left the Senators organization to his daughters Anna and Olivia. Forbes valued the hockey club at $800M in December. 

Last month, Bettman spoke on how more than a dozen parties were interested in buying the Senators. Potential buyers include Canadian A-list actor Ryan Reynolds, as well as other various Ottawa and Ontario-based business ventures and billionaires.

Bettman was asked Saturday, “Can you provide any sort of update on where things stand with the Ottawa Senators’ sale process?” 

He was quick to respond to the question stating, “Yeah actually. There are 15 or more people or groups of people who have filed applications. The data room was open and my guess is that in the next coming weeks or so there will be a preliminary cut based on preliminary bids,” Bettman said.

He further went on to explain how the process might look and what the future of the Senators could look like once the sale is finalized.

"But, the process is being run directly with the potential purchasers through New York-based Galatioto Sports Partners. I want to be very clear, whoever buys the club is doing so to keep it in Ottawa. I say that so there is no speculation on the point and maybe a greater opportunity to bring the team downtown to LeBreton Flats which I think makes this an even more exciting opportunity to own a team in the nation’s capital.”