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And, doing it when he did, terrible timing.

Booming big businesses like the NFL and NHL are, as one wise man put it on Saturday, “PR driven and PR wise.” And Melnyk’s rant was a PR nightmare.

He couldn’t have at least waited until Monday to issue his soft ultimatum?

Instead, the league threw a big beautiful party, making Melnyk its co-host, and he took a plop in the middle of the dance floor.

Speaking volumes was the wildly popular hashtag on social media: #Melnykout.

Even famous ESPN’s sports commentator Keith Olbermann chimed in on Twitter.

“Just before the outdoor game. Celebrating the league’s 100th Anniversary. That he’s hosting. He threatens to move the team. That is not a bright man, even for an owner.”

The NHL will not lose the capital of Canada, especially when it has a toehold on a magnificently spectacular piece of property for a new area in the city, because of an owner it’s widely believed the league does not want in its fraternity anymore. More likely, it will find a way to lose him.

The Senators are not moving anywhere — except LaBreton. The deal will get done with or without Melnyk. And most of the betting is on the latter.

His last play was an error.

It also reeked of desperation, sounding a lot like it was coming from a man who doesn’t have the capital to fund the development of a new arena on prime real estate, can’t get the financing and can’t find a partner.

Again we ask, what is Erik Karlsson thinking of all this?

Very soon the Senators’ captain will have to make a decision on his future. Does Karlsson stay in Ottawa, a city he loves and with a team with which he would like to spend his entire career? Why would he choose to remain with a franchise that’s under a heavy cloud of uncertainly created by an owner who is threatening to extend his next round of cuts to player salaries and relocate?