Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk is a Complete Mess and Fans Deserve Better
By Chris Russo
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk owes some money, and that is just the beginning of a series of missteps surrounding the 60-year-old.
Melnyk is in the midst of a court battle with Mohegan Sun casino over gambling debts.
ICYMI | #Sens owner Eugene Melnyk's legal team says the Connecticut casino suing him over a $900K gambling loss didn't cash his chips when he asked and "induced" him to keep gambling: https://t.co/ue3n4EDG9t #OttNews
— CBC Ottawa (@CBCOttawa) October 3, 2019
The Senators owner apparently owed $900,000 in debts to the casino and paid them off through five separate payments that TD Bank did not honor. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority filed suit in July in order to claim the money plus approximately $200,000 in interest.
Melnyk reportedly made these five payments over the span of three days in March of 2017. In a New London, Conn. courtroom, the gaming authority presented evidence proving Melnyk's long history with the casino, including an application for $1 million in credit signed Dec. 1, 2004.
Dan Snyder holds the WAPSO (Worst American Professional Sports Owner) belt, but here’s @katiebakes making the case for Ottawa’s Eugene Melnyk as WNAPSO champ for North America. https://t.co/Pr0k8Tgddv via @ringer
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 8, 2019
Melnyk has filed papers citing possible defenses. His attorneys have suggested that the gaming authority may not have presented the bank drafts in time and that delays may have kept TD Bank from honoring the payment. He also alleges the casino may have forced him to gamble until he lost a significant amount of money.
The Ottawa owner is not a fan favorite, and it seems the fan base has reason for him not to be.
To recap:
— Please save us from Eugene Melnyk (@ryanclassic) June 12, 2018
• Owner threatened fans with moving team
• Franchise-best player being sold off
• Assistant GM Randy Lee accused of sexually harassing 19-year old bus driver
• Mike Hoffman’s girlfriend stalks and harasses Erik Karlsson and his wife online
I know I’m missing stuff
On the ice, the Senators seemed like Stanley Cup contenders until ownership and management let things spiral out of control, eventually leading to the departure of some of their best players. Things became bad enough last year with the team's performance alone that Melnyk met with the mayor of Ottawa to discuss it.
Needless to say, Sens fans deserve far better than what Melnyk is providing on a daily basis.