The Remington Group, led by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and real estate mogul Christopher Bratty, is prepared to bid $1 billion to purchase the Ottawa Senators, sources told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

New York-based bank Galatioto Sports Partners, which was hired by the family of Eugene Melnyk to sell the franchise, has set a May 15 deadline for offers.

Reynolds and Bratty are expected to commit to building a new rink close to downtown Ottawa that’ll be surrounded by an entertainment district.

The Senators currently play at the Canadian Tire Centre, which opened in 1996 and is located in Kanata – more than a 20-minute drive from the city’s downtown.

The Remington Group, which is primarily based out of Markham, Ontario, is reportedly just one of seven groups to have met with chief financial officer Erin Crowe, president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc, and general manager Pierre Dorion.

The others include Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos, who recently made a $6-billion bid to purchase the NFL’s Washington Commanders; Hamilton Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer; Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who recently sold their share in the Pittsburgh Penguins; and Vivek Ranadive, who owns the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

Reynolds was born and raised in Vancouver, but he lived in the Ottawa neighborhood of Vanier for a period during his childhood. He has a street named after him in the city after he made a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank early in the pandemic.

The “Deadpool” star has experience in sports ownership. Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney own Welsh football club Wrexham AFC, which has been extremely successful under their watch.

The Senators were given a $655-million valuation by Sportico when they were first set to go up for sale in November. Forbes valued the club at $800 million in December.

The Sens are currently owned by Anna and Olivia Melnyk. They inherited the franchise as part of the estate left to them by their father, Eugene, after he died in March 2022.

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