Ottawa Senators Foundation ending relationship with namesake NHL club

The Ottawa Senators Foundation will cut ties with its namesake NHL franchise later this summer, the charitable organization announced Thursday.

The foundation said its agreement with Capital Sports & Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Ottawa’s hockey club, will expire at the end of July, ending the organization’s rights to the Ottawa Senators name and logo.

“As a first priority, we will look to fulfil our current operational, legal and charitable obligations by July 31, 2020, after which we will focus on the foundation’s future,” the Ottawa Senators Foundation said in a statement.

“In the meantime, we thank the Ottawa Senators for 22 years of partnership and the generosity of people and business throughout the region for supporting the work of the foundation resulting in thousands of game-changing opportunities for kids.”

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Through donations, events and a portion of the 50-50 ticket sales at Sens games, the foundation has raised money to send kids to camps and provide access to educational opportunities and mental health resources.

It has also funded causes such as the construction of the Roger Neilson House for pediatric palliative care on the grounds of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa.

Global News has reached out to the Ottawa Senators for comment.