Michael Andlauer couldn’t be happier for the long-suffering fans of the Ottawa Senators. Read More“I’ve said the fans are our lifeblood, and I am a fan. That moment was like, ‘Wow, we did it.'”
“I’ve said the fans are our lifeblood, and I am a fan. That moment was like, ‘Wow, we did it.'”
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Michael Andlauer couldn’t be happier for the long-suffering fans of the Ottawa Senators.
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The Senators owner was all smiles as he entered a room behind the stands at the Canadian Tire Centre before the club hosted the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.
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The club has qualified for the National Hockey League playoffs for the first time since 2017, and Andlauer is thrilled that the people in the Ottawa-Gatineau region will get to see the Senators battle for the Stanley Cup this spring.
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“We lost the game (on Tuesday), and then Montreal came from behind, so it was a bit of a bittersweet moment, but it was a lot sweeter because we officially clinched,” Andlauer said.
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“The excitement became because I was just so happy, but not for myself because I hadn’t endured for eight years of pain, as our fans have. I’ve said the fans are our lifeblood, and I am a fan. That moment was like, ‘Wow, we did it.’”
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The first call Andlauer made on Tuesday night was to Steve Staios, the Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager. Then he reached out to captain Brady Tkachuk.
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“I reached out to Brady because I was just excited for him and I just told him how happy I was for him in light of everything he’s gone through and to be in this position now,” Andlauer said. “My excited for the fans, and the players, who have endured this.
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“I reached out to Thomas Chabot the next day as well. These guys have played more than 500 games for our organization, they were drafted here, and I know they’re hungry for the playoffs. Now they can taste it. It’s going to be great.”
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Andlauer brought stability to the franchise when he purchased it from the estate of the late Eugene Melnyk for $950 million U.S. in September 2023. The first season was difficult, with general manager Pierre Dorion fired in November and head coach D.J. Smith let go in December.
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Andlauer is pleased for the core players who will get their first chance to suit up in the post-season. He has gotten to know Tkachuk, Chabot, Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle, Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson and their teammates personally.
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But Andlauer feels good for those young players who have paid the price to help get the Senators to the playoffs. He and Staios spent last season observing to determine “what we needed to be done,” and then the club brought in veteran winger David Perron and goaltender Linus Ullmark.
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“It’s how are they going to become great?” Andlauer said. “And there’s a process that needs to happen. So, to me, the excitement of buying the team was the fact that I had a young team that you could mold into what you thought the potential could be.
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