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Daniel Alfredsson could read pages from the phone book and the good people of Ottawa would gather to hear it.
When Alfie speaks, the community listens, whether the topic is mental health, the state of the Ottawa Senators, or life as a hockey dad and minor league coach, away from the fray.
What he reportedly said on Sunday was slightly more provocative than the usual musings of a retired hockey star.
At what was expected to be the rather innocuous launch of Mayor Jim Watson’s re-election campaign, “surprise” guest Alfredsson made a comment that blew up on social media.
“We’ve talked a lot, we’ve talked about the future of the Ottawa Senators and its ownership and we agree,” Alfredsson said to former Ottawa Sun columnist Susan Sherring, now a blogger. The “we” refers to Alfredsson and Watson.
“We hope we get a new owner.”
In the end, Alfredsson was merely expressing the sentiments of a majority of Senators fans, a view we knew he shared — the Senators could use a new owner.
But this was Alfie talking, Alfie who twice left Melnyk’s organization, once as a player and later as part of management, and that magnified its significance.
Ironically, the #MelnykOut campaign, a fan-driven movement opposing the ownership of Eugene Melnyk, had grown quiet in recent weeks as off-season hockey talk heats up. Ottawa’s season long since over, fans have been doing their research on teen prospects as the NHL entry draft approaches. The Senators have the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round, important building blocks for the future.
Now, the talk of Ottawa’s ownership returns to the front burner.
That Melnyk and Watson are not on the same page has been evident for some time, dating back years to myriad failed project bids by Melnyk pitched to the city.
A little over a month ago, Watson felt compelled to speak out after Melnyk said he was “hedging” on the LeBreton Flats proposal because he was concerned about other developments planned for the area.
Maybe the hockey club should just stay in Kanata, Melnyk mused.
Whether that was posturing in the midst of negotiations to finance the massive RendezVous LeBreton plan isn’t clear, but after Watson’s well-travelled “Are you serious?” comment, the mayor and Melnyk’s office spoke of clearing the air in a meeting.
Geoff Publow, vice-president of strategic development for the Senators, told the mayor’s office that Melnyk was willing to meet with Watson in the coming weeks. This was on or about April 26. More than a month ago.
And still, nothing but the sound of crickets on this supposed chit-chat while the National Capital Commission continues to sit on egg shells insofar as making progress and keeping peace.
Do you also find it odd that it’s easier to schedule a meeting between U.S. president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un than between the Ottawa mayor and local NHL owner? Perhaps the other two are actually trying to meet.
If it is this difficult to get two important parties to the table on a development project that will shape the future look of downtown Ottawa for decades to come, it begs the question — is any progress being made on the file?
We hope it is something beyond George Costanza in his “office” playing with pencils, circa the iconic Seinfeld episode.
Though he’s been the unofficial mayor of Ottawa for years, Alfredsson is relatively new to the actual political arena and no doubt regrets speaking out before a failed attempt to have it stricken from the record. (He reportedly told Sherring the chat was “off the record,” a condition Sherring said the two didn’t agree to before the start of their talk.)
The man Alfredsson sought to help in a symbolic way, Watson, is left to deal with the awkwardness of having his own sentiments out in the open.
On Monday, nobody was talking, not Alfredsson, Watson or Melnyk.
It’s just as well the cards are on the table.
In the big picture, there is no longer any doubt about the level of concern around Melnyk’s ownership, and Alfredsson has added his significant name to the list of those seeking change.
In some ways, it is similar to the Ontario election scene, where polls suggest people want something different after 15 years of Liberal government.
Coincidentally, Melnyk has owned the Senators for 15 years, and the progress of the hockey club has stalled, other than the blip last spring when the Senators surprised the hockey world by reaching double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final.
There isn’t a lot of belief that Melnyk has the wherewithal to bring the Senators back to their former glory, such as it was — contending playoff teams between 2003-07, and a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2007.
Similar doubt prevails over his ability to pull off his end of the LeBreton bargain. Many believe that in the event of a change in ownership, Alfredsson would be part of the new regime.
This will play out over time.
Meanwhile, we have no doubt where a couple of Ottawa’s primary public figures stand on the question of the Senators ownership.
The worst kept secret in town is finally out.
wscanlan@postmedia.com
查看原文...
When Alfie speaks, the community listens, whether the topic is mental health, the state of the Ottawa Senators, or life as a hockey dad and minor league coach, away from the fray.
What he reportedly said on Sunday was slightly more provocative than the usual musings of a retired hockey star.
At what was expected to be the rather innocuous launch of Mayor Jim Watson’s re-election campaign, “surprise” guest Alfredsson made a comment that blew up on social media.
“We’ve talked a lot, we’ve talked about the future of the Ottawa Senators and its ownership and we agree,” Alfredsson said to former Ottawa Sun columnist Susan Sherring, now a blogger. The “we” refers to Alfredsson and Watson.
“We hope we get a new owner.”
In the end, Alfredsson was merely expressing the sentiments of a majority of Senators fans, a view we knew he shared — the Senators could use a new owner.
But this was Alfie talking, Alfie who twice left Melnyk’s organization, once as a player and later as part of management, and that magnified its significance.
Ironically, the #MelnykOut campaign, a fan-driven movement opposing the ownership of Eugene Melnyk, had grown quiet in recent weeks as off-season hockey talk heats up. Ottawa’s season long since over, fans have been doing their research on teen prospects as the NHL entry draft approaches. The Senators have the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round, important building blocks for the future.
Now, the talk of Ottawa’s ownership returns to the front burner.
That Melnyk and Watson are not on the same page has been evident for some time, dating back years to myriad failed project bids by Melnyk pitched to the city.
A little over a month ago, Watson felt compelled to speak out after Melnyk said he was “hedging” on the LeBreton Flats proposal because he was concerned about other developments planned for the area.
Maybe the hockey club should just stay in Kanata, Melnyk mused.
Whether that was posturing in the midst of negotiations to finance the massive RendezVous LeBreton plan isn’t clear, but after Watson’s well-travelled “Are you serious?” comment, the mayor and Melnyk’s office spoke of clearing the air in a meeting.
Geoff Publow, vice-president of strategic development for the Senators, told the mayor’s office that Melnyk was willing to meet with Watson in the coming weeks. This was on or about April 26. More than a month ago.
And still, nothing but the sound of crickets on this supposed chit-chat while the National Capital Commission continues to sit on egg shells insofar as making progress and keeping peace.
Do you also find it odd that it’s easier to schedule a meeting between U.S. president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un than between the Ottawa mayor and local NHL owner? Perhaps the other two are actually trying to meet.
If it is this difficult to get two important parties to the table on a development project that will shape the future look of downtown Ottawa for decades to come, it begs the question — is any progress being made on the file?
We hope it is something beyond George Costanza in his “office” playing with pencils, circa the iconic Seinfeld episode.
Though he’s been the unofficial mayor of Ottawa for years, Alfredsson is relatively new to the actual political arena and no doubt regrets speaking out before a failed attempt to have it stricken from the record. (He reportedly told Sherring the chat was “off the record,” a condition Sherring said the two didn’t agree to before the start of their talk.)
The man Alfredsson sought to help in a symbolic way, Watson, is left to deal with the awkwardness of having his own sentiments out in the open.
On Monday, nobody was talking, not Alfredsson, Watson or Melnyk.
It’s just as well the cards are on the table.
In the big picture, there is no longer any doubt about the level of concern around Melnyk’s ownership, and Alfredsson has added his significant name to the list of those seeking change.
In some ways, it is similar to the Ontario election scene, where polls suggest people want something different after 15 years of Liberal government.
Coincidentally, Melnyk has owned the Senators for 15 years, and the progress of the hockey club has stalled, other than the blip last spring when the Senators surprised the hockey world by reaching double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final.
There isn’t a lot of belief that Melnyk has the wherewithal to bring the Senators back to their former glory, such as it was — contending playoff teams between 2003-07, and a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2007.
Similar doubt prevails over his ability to pull off his end of the LeBreton bargain. Many believe that in the event of a change in ownership, Alfredsson would be part of the new regime.
This will play out over time.
Meanwhile, we have no doubt where a couple of Ottawa’s primary public figures stand on the question of the Senators ownership.
The worst kept secret in town is finally out.
wscanlan@postmedia.com
查看原文...
