Senators' charitable arm cuts ties with team

The Ottawa Senators Foundation will no longer be associated with the NHL club as of Aug. 1, the charity announced Thursday.

"On July 31, 2020, the agreement between the Ottawa Senators Foundation and the club, which grants the foundation the right to use club trademarks, including the Ottawa Senators name, expires," the foundation said in a statement.

"As a first priority, we will look to fulfill our current operational, legal, and charitable obligations by July 31, 2020, after which we will focus on the Foundation's future," the foundation added.

The Senators responded Thursday by announcing the club would begin a request-for-proposals process to consider other philanthropic options.

The organization claimed it informed the foundation "months ago" it planned to initiate that process, and that "foundation leadership protested" and told the team it wouldn't comply.

The Senators Foundation has been primarily dedicated to youth programs in the Ottawa community.