Report: Looks like the Senators are in fact moving, but not where you might be thinking

It's taken less than 48 hours since the passing of longtime Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk for rumors about a possible relocation to take hold.

In one hand, it's easy to understand. The Senators have long been one of the league's most financially undermined teams and there have been false reports of a possible relocation for years. On the other hand... well... Melnyk's family hasn't even buried their father and husband yet and people are talking about the Sens leaving town? That must be a tough pill to swallow.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports that indeed the Sens may be on the move, but they won't be changing area codes anytime soon. Rather than heading to a rumored destination like Quebec City or Houston, Friedman reports that there's renewed interest in Ottawa to move the team from the outskirts in Kanata to downtown Ottawa and the LeBreton Flats area.

Check it out:

"I think they have a vision for a strong hockey team in a downtown arena. And recently the bids were submitted again for LeBreton Flats, and although nobody has confirmed it, it's believe the Senators applied to be part of that process.

- Elliotte Friedman

I certainly hope this is true. Regardless of how you feel about the Sens, I feel like having a team in Ottawa is very important to the game of hockey. It's the nation's capital in the Nation of Hockey, after all. And speaking frankly, I think the Senators are poised for a new level of success moving forward. Assuming they can get strong local ownership and assuming they can secure an arena deal in the downtown area, I think they could be wildly successful.

It's no secret that the Sens have struggled to retain their star players mostly due to financial reasons, but if the team can finally realize their financial potential there will be no cause for concern in the future. After all, it wasn't long ago that Canadian markets like Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary were having the same struggles. But, with new arenas in two of those locales and with strong ownership in each of those markets, there's no one talking about relocating the Oilers, Flames or Canucks anytime soon.