Ryan Reynolds exits bid race for Ottawa Senators, fans are devastated - "Worst day in NHL history"

Ottawa Senators have expressed their disappointment following news that Ryan Reynolds' bid for the team will not be moving forward. Multiple sources confirmed that the actor's request for an exclusive window to complete the deal was denied. He is officially out of the race.

Reynolds, who grew up in Canada, had confirmed his interest in becoming an NHL owner on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in November. The actor had been attached to a bid to own the Senators led by real estate developer Remington Group, which was believed to be worth more than $1 billion, according to sources.

(Source: Emily Kaplan of ESPN)

However, Reynolds' bid was not the only one in the works, with Snoop Dogg and The Weeknd also part of bids to own the franchise.

Fans of the NHL have taken to social media to express their reactions to the news. One fan tweeted,

"To bad Ryan, you tried!! Thank you,"

While another lamented:

"Worst day in nhl history."

Some fans placed the blame on the NHL and the Senators, with one tweet reading,

"The losers are the NHL and the senators."

Another fan expressed frustration, stating:

"Of course the NHL had to ruin the only good thing happening this yr."

Despite the disappointment among fans, the sale of the Ottawa Senators is still expected to generate plenty of interest and could potentially result in a bidding war amongst celebrities. The deadline for final non-binding offers is May 15, and it remains to be seen which bid will ultimately be successful in acquiring the franchise.

Ottawa Senators have other suitors waiting

The Weeknd had recently joined Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel (of the Harlo Capital Group) in their bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators, sources have revealed.

A source close to Weeknd emphasized his commitment to the Ottawa community and the NHL, stating:

"He's going to be a great partner for Ottawa and the NHL. He has the most views and streams, and he's a hockey guy. He wants to get this deal done, he wants to build something that will be great in Ottawa, and he'll be a good fit. He's got a lot of worldwide connections."

And before the Weeknd, rapper Snoop Dogg confirmed his participation in a bid alongside American film producer Neko Sparks. In addition to becoming part of the ownership group, Snoop wants to build a youth hockey program to help young kids get into the game.