Who is Michael Andlauer, the former beer-league goalie and Habs fan, poised to become the new owner of the Ottawa Senators?

It was a scrum to the final whistle, but the Ottawa Senators have finally found a new owner.

Billionaire Michael Andlauer is poised to take over the NHL franchise, the team confirmed Tuesday morning.

My family and I are very excited to be a part of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club," Andlauer said in a statement. 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."

The hockey team in the nation's capital was put on sale last November after longtime owner Eugene Melnyk died of an undisclosed illness last March.

Under the new deal, which is subject to NHL approval, Andlauer will own 90 per cent to the team, while Melnyk's daughters, Anna and Olivia, will retain 10 per cent of the franchise through the Melnyk estate.

Who is Michael Andlauer?

Andlauer, 57, is currently the owner of the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Brantford Bulldogs.

He became involved with the American Hockey League's (AHL) Hamilton Bulldogs in 2003, first as a co-owner then as the majority owner. The Bulldogs were Calder Cup champions in 2007.

In 2015, Andlauer sold the AHL Bulldogs to the Montreal Canadiens and purchased the OHL Belleville Bulls, which he relocated to Hamilton and renamed the Hamilton Bulldogs. The OHL Bulldogs recently won the OHL championship in 2022, before temporarily relocating to Brantford beginning in the 2023-24 OHL season to accommodate renovations at their Hamilton arena.

While Andlauer has found success at the OHL level, he's no stranger to the NHL. A Habs fan who grew up idolizing the team, Andlauer purchased a share of the Canadiens in 2009. He's currently listed as an alternative governor and said to be well-liked and respected within the league.

Andlauer, a former beer-league goalie according to the Globe and Mail, is also the founder and chief executive officer of Andlauer Healthcare Group, which owns health-care supply chain companies, and the founder of Toronto-based merchant bank Bulldog Capital Partners.

What happened to bids by Ryan Reynolds and Snoop Dogg?

Andlauer's deal caps off months of speculation about the future of the Senators. Though the team is not one of the league's most valuable - a recent analysis by Forbes valued the Senators at $800 million, 24th out of the NHL's 30 teams - its sale drew significant attention and serious bids from high-profile celebrities and businessowners.

Among them: Canadian film star Ryan Reynolds, R&B singer The Weeknd and rapper Snoop Dogg.

The Weeknd was reportedly a partner in another bid led by Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel.

Snoop Dogg, meanwhile, was in a bid spearheaded by Los Angeles-based businessman Neko Sparks. The rapper alluded to reports that the Sparks-led bid would include an equity stake for local Indigenous communities.

It's your boy big Snoop Dogg giving a shout out to the First Nations of Canada, that's right, for joining Neko Sparks in the Ottawa Senators bid," he said, standing in a recording studio wearing a Senators jersey. We trying to do something, we trying to make a difference."

In May, it was reported that Reynolds, believed to be part of a bid with real estate developers the Remington Group, dropped out of contention.

Why was Michael Andlauer's bid successful?

The exact terms of the Andlauer's deal are still unclear. In recent weeks, insiders speculated the billionaire was the front-runner to take over the Senators.

He's proven with the Bulldogs that he's successful in the game, while his experience with the Canadiens means he's a known-quantity in the NHL.

Plus, that he has deep pockets (his Andlauer Healthcare Group has a market cap of nearly $1.9 billion), which likely didn't hurt to seal the deal.

What would an Andlauer-led Senator team look like?

Andlauer will undoubtedly be looking to replicate his Bulldog's success with the Senators.

Some have speculated that Andlauer could tap former Bulldogs president and general manager Steve Staios to become the new Senators general manager. That's if he isn't first sewn up by the Edmonton Oilers, where's Staios is currently a special adviser.

If Michael Andlauer is the successful bidder to purchase the Ottawa Senators, formerly the owner of the Hamilton Bulldogs where he found a lot of success with Staios, there will be a real pull to bring Staios with him as the next GM of the Senators," longtime NHL reporter Frank Seravalli said on a podcast last month.

With files from The Canadian Press and Scott Radley of the Hamilton Spectator

Joshua Chong is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star's Express Desk. Follow him on Twitter: @joshualdwchong

If Michael Andlauer is the successful bidder to purchase the Ottawa Senators, formerly the owner of the Hamilton Bulldogs where he found a lot of success with Staios, there will be a real pull to bring Staios with him as the next GM of the Senators," longtime NHL reporter Frank Seravalli said on a podcast last month.