The new owner of the Ottawa Senators has been named Newsmaker of the Year for 2023 by the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Board of Trade.
Over the summer, a group of investors — including several from the Ottawa area — led by Canadian businessman Michael Andlauer reached an agreement with the National Hockey League to purchase the Senators for a reported US$950 million, the highest amount ever paid for an NHL franchise.
The announcement of the Newsmaker of the Year was made at the Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by OBJ and the OBOT on Thursday, where Andlauer was the featured guest.
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“(I) realize what a privilege it is to be the owner of a team,” Andlauer said in his conversation with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. “With that privilege comes responsibility and I feel that responsibility. This is not a toy. It’s my passion, but I realize this is more than just a hockey team.”
He added, “We’ll take it one day at a time; it’s a process. The passion is there. I’ve never taken so many selfies over the last couple of weeks. But you know, I want to take some selfies on the ice with the Stanley Cup.”
Andlauer, 57, is the founder of ATS Healthcare, Accuristix, Bulldog Capital Partners and Andlauer Healthcare Group, where he is currently the CEO. He owned the American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs from 2004 to 2015, then purchased the Ontario Hockey League’s Belleville Bulls and moved them to Hamilton.
Andlauer’s passion for hockey, as well as his desire to bring a Stanley Cup back to the nation’s capital, has already spurred a new wave of excitement for the future of the franchise.
“The Ottawa Senators Hockey Club is an amazing organization, from the players, to the staff, to the most passionate fan base in the game,” Andlauer said in a release when the sale was finalized in September. “My family and I are thrilled to officially be a part of Ottawa’s team and the Ottawa-Gatineau community.”
“Michael represents everything we could have hoped to find coming into this process — a passionate owner who is committed to Ottawa,” Senators chairman and governor Sheldon Plener said in the release. “We believe it is a momentous day for the National Capital Region.”
New ownership comes amid an ongoing rebuilding of the team, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 when the Senators fell a goal short in the Eastern Conference final. With a talented young core led by captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Thomas Chabot, the Senators seem poised to make a breakthrough.
Andlauer, a former former beer-league goalie with a deep connection to the game, has already made a commitment to elevate the team and strengthen the club’s bond with Ottawa fans and the local business community.
“I believe that the Senators’ fan base is one of the most passionate in the league and I’m excited to take the franchise’s success both on and off the ice to the next level,” Andlauer said earlier this year after reaching an agreement to buy the club. “The short- and long-term future of the team is incredibly bright and I look forward to getting to know the team, the fanbase and the community.”
His ownership group also has a strong local flavour, bringing in multiple well-known names from Ottawa’s business community, including the Malhotra family, owners of real estate development giant Claridge Homes, and Farm Boy co-CEO Jeff York.
The Newsmaker of the Year award goes to a person or organization who received positive, high-profile media coverage over the last year and brought attention to the National Capital Region. Recipients also demonstrate strong and inspiring leadership and their actions are consistent with creating a vibrant and innovative business environment.
Andlauer joins a prestigious list of Newsmaker of the Year recipients, which includes Coconut Lagoon owner Chef Joe Thottungal, Ottawa’s medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches, and e-commerce software giant Shopify.
Andlauer and fellow award recipients for 2023 will be celebrated at the Best Ottawa Business Awards on Thursday, Nov. 23 at The Westin Ottawa.
