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Eugene Melnyk reached out to fans of the Ottawa Senators to try to mend the fences Wednesday.

After opening up the door to the possibility of moving the franchise before an alumni game on Parliament Hill on Dec. 18, the Senators owner did the best he could to try to slam it shut during a television media tour that started Wednesday morning in Toronto and ended with an appearance on CTV Ottawa in the evening.

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Melnyk, who has had to deal with a backlash since he insinuated the Senators could be moved if fans didn’t buy more tickets, did his best to get back into the good books.

It wasn’t a mea culpa, but it was a step in the right direction.

Not only did Melnyk tell CTV’s Your Morning his December comments were “unfortunate,” he also reaffirmed his commitment to efforts to bring a Stanley Cup title to Ottawa.

“Whatever was said in December, it’s unfortunate that it hit a real nerve in Ottawa,” Melnyk said. “The reality is I love the city, I love the people, I love the fans, and it’s actually my privilege to be there and to ice a team like the Ottawa Senators.”