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Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk took to Twitter Wednesday night to deny reports that he has brought in a minority partner for the NHL franchise.

A Frank Magazine article two weeks ago said that Dan Greenberg, owner of Ferguslea Properties Inc., and son of Minto founder Irving Greenberg, had invested in the club and could possibly take over majority ownership of the Senators. Greenberg is a passionate Senators fan and well known for his philanthropy in the Ottawa area, including an $11-million donation to the Queensway-Carleton Hospital in 2008.

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On Wednesday, Twitter was abuzz with speculation about the possibility of an incoming minority shareholder for the Senators — Greenberg’s name wasn’t mentioned — and whether that would mean the possibility of the Senators increasing their payroll to move closer to the NHL’s salary cap.

Melnyk then responded on social media, saying he had not brought in new partners.

“Confirming the rumour, Ottawa Senators have 3 new equity partners: Sparkles, Frosty and Pebbles — my dogs. Great reporting,” he wrote on his @MelnykEugene twitter account.

Speculation about Melnyk seeking partners isn’t new, considering that the club currently ranks 28th among 30 NHL teams in payroll.

In July, Melnyk, who was also deeply involved in the horse racing industry for two decades, announced that he was washing his hands of that business, selling off his stable of horses for $5.2 million.