Ottawa Senators stage major comeback with return of Sens Gala

On the same ice surface where the Ottawa Senators beat the Edmonton Oilers the night before, a sold-out crowd of business leaders gathered on Monday for the eagerly awaited return of the CIBC Senators Black, Red & Gold Gala presented by Bell.

The 550 attendees dined together on the rink at the Canadian Tire Centre, in support of the Senators Community Foundation. The 19,000 fans that had recently packed the place took their loud cheers home with them, but the gala evening was equally a big win — especially for children and youth living in Ottawa and Gatineau.

A commitment to caring for others had been a factor in why Michael Andlauer and a group of local minority partners wanted to buy the Ottawa Senators after the team came up for sale, attendees heard. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to win a Stanley Cup. Don’t we all? I definitely do,” Andlauer quickly clarified. “But, we recognize we are definitely more than just a hockey team.”

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The Sens Community Foundation remains one of Andlauer’s top priorities. He wants to see their charitable arm, now being led by Jacqueline Belsito, become “a pillar of the community” once more. He got a little emotional while announcing a $2 million pledge to help critically ill children and their families in the region. Of that sum, $1 million will go to Roger Neilson House, a pediatric palliative care home in Ottawa, named after a beloved assistant coach who passed away almost 21 years ago, and the other $1 million to Maison Papillon in Outaouais. The new facility will also specialize in pediatric palliative care.

The new owner spoke about the visits the Sens players pay to hospitalized children at CHEO, to underserved youth at BGC Ottawa and of their “countless other initiatives where there are no cameras, but they do it because they truly care,” said Andlauer. “They represent our city so well.”

He took a moment to recognize the players’ wives and girlfriends as “unsung heroes”, and to express his gratitude to Olivia and Anna Melnyk, the daughters of the team’s former owner, the late Eugene Melnyk. “I want to thank you for selling us the team and also staying on as a partner.”

Andlauer, a self-made businessman and lifelong hockey fan, is the CEO of Vaughan-based supply chain management company Andlauer Healthcare Group. He and his wife, Lucie Andlauer, recently put down roots in Ottawa by purchasing a home in the city. She remained supportively at his side throughout his speech and, at one point, he described her as his best friend.

The evening included a cocktail reception prior to gala-goers heading to the rink, which was safely covered with temporary flooring. The evening felt exciting and chic, complemented by the soothing sounds of singer Rebecca Noelle.

The Sens gala last took place in late 2019. The four-plus years felt like forever ago once TSN reporter and emcee Claire Hanna reminisced about what was happening in the world back then. Mind you, some things never change, she quipped. “The Leafs were about to lose to the Bruins in the first round.”

Also spotted from the hockey club were the Ottawa Senators’ president and CEO, Cyril Leeder, and Steve Staios, general manager and president of hockey operations, along with head coach Jacques Martin, assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson and such players as team captain Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux. Many were introduced on stage with their partners, and joined by representatives from local charities that the Senators Community Foundation supports.

Kyle Braatz, CEO of digital health platform Fullscript, was invited to make some brief remarks on stage as one of the gold sponsors. He’s also part of the group of local minority owners of the Ottawa Senators.

Braatz was effective in motivating the audience to open up their wallets for the live auction, in support of the Senators Community Foundation’s good work. “Fullscript’s mission is to help people get better, and we do that every single day by servicing healthcare practitioners and patients across North America,” he began. “As the company has grown, we’ve realized how important it is to support the community and make an impact in the community we live and work in. 

“And, when I think about opportunities to partner, who’s better than the Sens Foundation, where we get to support families and children who have, quite frankly, been dealt a really shitty hand.

“I look around this room and I think about how fortunate we all are. How fortunate are we to be sitting here, having these fancy nights? How fortunate are we to watch the best hockey players in the world perform on a regular basis, and beat the Devils and the Oilers, and so on, and so on?

“How fortunate are we?” he reiterated, as the audience responded with applause. “But, there are many families, as we know, who aren’t so fortunate.”

Braatz encouraged the “high rollers” and “money bags” in the crowd to be generous, even singling out some of his friends. “Guess what? Nothing feels better than helping others, so let’s do it.”

In less than 15 minutes, more than $100,000 was raised in the auction led by  “Stuntman” Stu Schwartz, a practical household name in Ottawa and PA Announcer for the Ottawa Senators from 2006 to 2018. 

There were five experiential packages to bid on involving the Ottawa Senators. The items all proved popular, especially the opportunity to invite 12 people over for a catered dinner and wine with Sens players, which expanded from Josh Norris and Ridly Greig to also include Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson and Brady Tkachuk.

The dinner was bought for $50,000 by a group of local Canadian Tire franchise owners, led by Cliff Hammell, who owns the massive store at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre.

caroline@obj.ca