On Monday, Snoop Dogg announced via his Instagram account that he would be joining Neko Sparks’ group to purchase the Ottawa Senators, who have gone on sale after the family of former owner Eugene Melnyk, who passed away in March 2022, announced they would be selling the team.

For months, it looked like the sale of the Ottawa Senators was leaning towards The Remington Group and Ryan Reynolds, as Reynolds has vocally supported acquiring the team. But with this recent announcement coming out of nowhere, it’s time to break down the case for Dogg and Sparks’ bid, the case against it, and the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

The Case For:

Snoop Dogg’s involvement in the ownership of the Ottawa Senators has the potential to be the greatest thing to happen to hockey since the trading of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. On Tuesday, Snoop Dogg went on ESPN’s First Take and was asked about his involvement with bid, and on the show, he announced he is committed to establishing the “Snoop Youth Hockey League,” which would provide minority and low-income communities more opportunities to play hockey in America. 

This isn’t the first venture Snoop Dogg has made into youth sports. The Snoop Youth Football League, which began in 2005, has sent roughly 20,000 kids to division one programs to which some have even joined the NFL, as wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and John Ross as well as recently-drafted quarterback CJ Stroud are alums of the program.

If the SYHL were to be created, the league would significantly increase the NHL’s presence in minority communities, which is something that the NHL and the sport as a whole has had an issue with over the last few decades.

The unfortunate reality is that hockey is expensive, and minority and low-income involvement in hockey is sparse because of this. If there was a way for an organization such as the Snoop Youth Hockey League to help cover the cost of gear, travel, and open more ice-plexes to increase playing-time and get sticks into the hands of those who would otherwise not even think of playing hockey, then that would do wonders for the sport as a whole.

If Snoop Dogg were able to have involvement with the Senators, then the day he and his group is announced as the new owners of the Senators would go down as a landmark moment in the history of the NHL.

The Case Against:

During his segment Tuesday on First Take, Snoop Dogg was asked about why he wanted to own the team. However, during his answer, he never once mentioned the city of Ottawa or the Senators. It was mainly about how he wants more youth involvement of minorities in the game of hockey in America.

While it is admirable that Snoop Dogg and Neko Sparks want to get in on the Ottawa Senators, The Remington Group and Ryan Reynolds have a leg up over them and the other private bidders for taking over the Senators. Reynolds has publicly been at Senators games a few times over the past season, and each time, the arena came alive in support of the famed actor to take over the team.

It’s not just public appearances and hand-shaking in suites and boxes for Reynolds, though. The Hollywood star has also reportedly had meetings with Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe as well as the National Capital Commission, which is the group that owns the LeBreton Flats – the location and land the Senators hope to build a new arena on to be closer to downtown. The team wants to move because the Senators’ current barn, the Canadian Tire Centre, is roughly 16 miles from the city, which has negatively impacted fan attendance – Ottawa was 25th in the NHL in attendance from 2022-23 per hockeyDB.

The Remington Group and Ryan Reynolds’ bid is reported to be more than $1 billion to buy the Senators and the Canadian Tire Centre, and it appears they have a clear cut plan to help improve the Senators’ current situation and make the team the crown jewel of the city of Ottawa. And while the public perception of a team owned partially by Neko Sparks and Snoop Dogg would be a feel-good story, realistically, The Remington Group and Ryan Reynolds gaining ownership of the team would, on paper, do nothing but positively impact the Ottawa Senators.

The Best Possible Scenario:

Unless another private bidder steps forward that makes their projected plans seem like child’s play, Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group taking the reins of Canada’s Capital team would be the best possible outcome. Their plan to move the team closer to downtown Ottawa as well as seek involvement from local investors will benefit the city and the team as the whole, and if it goes anything like Reynolds’ overseas venture with Wrexham FC, the Senators have a bright future ahead.

However, that doesn’t mean that Snoop Dogg should give up on trying with more minority involvement with hockey. Gary Bettman and the NHL should absolutely foster a bond and establish a partnership to make the Snoop Youth Hockey League come to fruition.

It won’t be known for a few months who will be the next owner of the Senators for a few months. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that May 15 is the final deadline for bids to buy the Ottawa Senators. But one thing’s for sure: there will be much buzz around who comes out on top, and if the NHL can play its cards right, it could be a win-win for everyone who wants to be involved once the dust settles from this.