Next man up, as the old saying goes.
Today, the Ottawa Senators announced the hiring of Anthony LeBlanc as their new President of Business Operations.
LeBlanc has connections to the Ottawa area (a former season-ticket holder actually) and previously spent four years as the CEO (and part-Owner) with the Arizona Coyotes.
Most recently, LeBlanc was involved in the bid to bring the CFL to Atlantic Canada.
LeBlanc’s experience as a President/CEO/Part-Owner in a struggling hockey market and close relationship with the National Hockey League makes him a fascinating hire. There had previously been speculation that the league was involved in filling this vacancy and the hiring of LeBlanc will only fuel that speculation.
It has been a bit of a revolving door in the Front Office of the Senators lately so this is a hiring that will naturally be met with some skepticism.
Okay, maybe revolving door is an understatement.
It really cannot be understated how important it is that the organization find some stability in this position, especially if Ownership plans on hanging around. Given the general uncertainty around pro sports right now, the need is that much stronger.
The Ottawa Senators have done a remarkable job positioning the hockey-side of this operation for future success. The team is loaded with young talent and enter one of the deepest drafts in NHL history with a record-number of draft picks. The roster rebuild is in great shape. But there is still a ton of work to do to rebuild the relationship between this hockey team and the city.
A lot of that falls on the shoulders of the team’s President.
It’s going to be about reestablishing the link with local businesses, regaining the trust of the fan base and reminding the City of Ottawa why they fell in love with the Senators. And doing all of that in an industry that is going to have to redefine itself in a post-pandemic reality.
Here’s LeBlanc on the opportunity here in Ottawa.
“I am thrilled to be appointed to the position of President of Business Operations with the Senators. Having been a diehard Senators fan since the Sens rejoined the league, this opportunity is truly an honour. I look forward to working closely with the entire staff as we prepare for an exciting chapter in the history of the Senators. I am confident that my experience in the NHL, as well as my sales and marketing background in the technology sector, will be put to good use here in the National Capital Region,”.
Good luck, Anthony.
