Ryan Reynolds interested in buying Senators as part of group

Deadpool nights could be coming to the Canadian Tire Centre.

Ryan Reynolds confirmed his interest in buying the Ottawa Senators as part of a group during an appearance Monday on "The Tonight Show."

"I am trying (to buy the team)," the Canadian-born actor said. "It's very expensive. So I need a partner with really deep pockets."

The Senators officially announced they were going up for sale Friday, three days after initial reports surfaced. A sale would be contingent upon the team staying in Ottawa.

The franchise is reportedly valued at $655 million, making it the 27th most valuable team in the NHL, but that figure would likely be much higher if it were to be sold.

Ottawa signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission and other investors in June for a new downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. There are still several steps before it can reach an official agreement, but such a deal would significantly raise the franchise's value.

The team currently plays at the Canadian Tire Centre, which opened in 1996 and is located in Kanata - more than a 20-minute drive from the city's downtown.

Reynolds' net worth is listed at $150 million. He was born and raised in Vancouver but lived in the Ottawa neighborhood of Vanier for a period during his childhood. The city named a street after him following his donation to the Ottawa Food Bank early in the pandemic.

The 46-year-old has experience running a professional sports franchise, too, as he co-owns the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC with fellow actor Rob McElhenney.

The Senators are currently owned by Anna and Olivia Melnyk, who inherited the team as part of the estate left to them by their father, Eugene, after he died in March.