LEEDER SAYS FAREWELL

Ex-president bids fans adieu

The story, well-known, is that Bruce Firestone, Randy Sexton and Cyril Leeder were quaffing beers one night after a game of pickup hockey, when Firestone pitched his dream of bringing an NHL franchise to Ottawa. Leeder, an accountant by training, soon put together the business case that helped win over the NHL. Within three years, the trio had their team. The rest, as Senators fans know, is history.

But what a history. Though fired as the team’s president this week by owner Eugene Melnyk, “Cy” Leeder won’t be forgotten soon.

He was there for the initial flush of euphoria when Ottawa won the franchise, there for the Yashin and Daigle sagas, there for the bankruptcy, there for the entire Sens career of Daniel Alfredsson. There for Bryan Murray’s battle with cancer. There for all of it.

And as Ottawans have come to appreciate, Leeder has been there for the city.

When he replaced Roy Mlakar, who had already begun community outreach big-time, Leeder continued active support of the Senators Foundation, Roger Neilson House and a host of other public-minded ventures.

He was the force behind the Bell Capital Cup, the world’s biggest minor-hockey tournament. Under his leadership, the Senators hockey club was recognized with a Community Builder of the Year award by the United Way in 2011.

He was also there for his boss (whom he graciously thanked at a news conference Thursday).

When Melnyk needed an urgent liver transplant, Leeder fronted the public appeal for donors, telling fans “time is of the essence,” but also adding that he hoped the unique public reach the Senators enjoyed would “be able to shed some light on organ donations as part of this process.”

Melnyk was blunt about one of his reasons for replacing Leeder with Tom Anselmi, a former top Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Group executive. Discussions between Melnykfronted RendezVous LeBreton and the National Capital Commission over an ambitious development just west of downtown are plodding along.

“These kinds of things, like LeBreton, don’t happen overnight,” Melnyk said Wednesday. “We’re talking about a mini-city that you’re responsible for.” Anselmi, he felt, was better qualified to bring the negotiations home.

Whether Melnyk is right to let go of the cofounder of his iconic team won’t be known for a long time.

But fans know what they think of Cyril Leeder, who was trending on Twitter Thursday during his farewell news conference.

“Classy as always,” tweeted one fan. “Cyril Leeder is as genuine as it gets,” said another.

The accountant who helped build a dream team. Sens fans — and the rest of us — will miss him.