NHL commissioner Gary Bettman isn't worried about the Ottawa Senators.
The team suffered a tumultuous season on the ice that was followed by a rapid-fire succession of off-ice controversies in recent weeks. Assistant general manager Randy Lee was charged with second-degree harassment of a teenager late last month, and cyberbullying allegations by the wife of team captain Erik Karlsson against the fiancee of now-former Senator Mike Hoffman came to light shortly thereafter.
That came on the heels of a 30th place finish in the league standings, and a very public statement by Senators owner Eugene Melnyk last December that the team could be moved if attendance doesn't improve.
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Despite all the turmoil surrounding the team, Bettman insisted that any fears for the future of the Ottawa franchise are overblown.
"There’s always going to be some issue somewhere that has to be dealt with," Bettman told reporters ahead of Wednesday night's NHL Awards ceremony in Las Vegas. "The headstone has been written over the years for many franchises under a variety of circumstances and none of the burials ever took place. So it’s a moment in time."
With the Senators' plans to build a new venue in downtown Ottawa on hold and the team having seen ticket sales drop significantly at the 22-year-old suburban Canadian Tire Centre, concerns are growing that the club could be in trouble. However, Bettman shot down the suggestion by a reporter that the league could step in to help stabilize the franchise.
"We don't think the club is anywhere close to cardiac arrest ... there's no issue up there," Bettman said. "I think it's more sensationalized than anything else."