Hip hop artist Snoop Dogg is part of a group bidding to purchase the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, The Athletic reported Monday.

The 51-year-old rap artist has joined a group led by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks, per the report.

“He’s passionately involved. He’s coming up with ideas. And he’s legitimately excited,” a source told The Athletic. “He wants this team.”

Sources also said that the franchise’s reported $1 billion price tag won’t keep the Sparks group from making a bid.

Snoop has reportedly started exploring how he could grow the Senators’ brand if the bid is successful, which would include providing analysis and commentary for the team’s regional game broadcasts.

According to The Athletic, Snoop wants to market hockey to families of diverse backgrounds in Ottawa and the surrounding area.

“He’s passionate about trying to make this game affordable for visible minorities and kids in low-income areas who haven’t been able to play hockey in the past,” said a source. “He wants to be community oriented.”

A 17-time Grammy Award nominee, Snoop has more than 100 million combined followers on Instagram and Twitter. He owns Death Row Records, which was the label of his 1993 debut album.

Snoop is not the only celebrity interested in purchasing the Senators, as Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington group are preparing a bid of more than $1 billion to buy the Senators and their arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, Postmedia reported last week.

Postmedia also reported that all bids are due by May 15.

Last November, eight months after the passing of owner Eugene Melnyk, the Senators announced that the team was up for sale and would remain in the city. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daley estimated last month that the sale price would exceed $800 million and possibly more than $1 billion.

–Field Level Media

The Florida Panthers are restricting ticket sales to U.S. residents only for their home games of the Eastern Conference second round in an attempt to mitigate the flood of Toronto Maple Leafs fans.

The parameters are listed under “important event info” when tickets went on sale Monday.

“Residency will be based on credit card billing address,” the note reads. “Orders by residents outside of the United States will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”

The series begins in Toronto on Tuesday but will shift to Sunrise, Fla., for Games 3-4 as well as a potential Game 6.

The Maple Leafs are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and are known for a devoted fan base.

The secondary ticket market is expected to be hyperactive for the Florida games.

–Field Level Media

The Calgary Flames are parting ways with head coach Darryl Sutter on Monday after three seasons.

“On behalf of ownership and all Calgary Flames fans, we want to thank Darryl for his cumulative years of service to the Calgary Flames and to the community at large,” said John Bean, president and CEO of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, in a statement released Monday morning.

Sutter, 64, just signed a two-year extension in October that was set to kick in July 1. The Flames are on the hook for $8 million of the extension, per multiple reports.

The Flames parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving last month.

The Flames finished two points out of a wild-card spot this season after a disappointing 38-27-17 campaign. Sutter went 103-63-28 in three seasons, his second stint as the Flames’ head coach.

The move comes in the aftermath of reports that Sutter alienated his top players, one season removed from an 111-point season in 2021-22.

Sutter coached Calgary to a Western Conference title in 2003-04, the middle year of his three-year first stint.

Sutter led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.

He is 737-530-101-111 in 21 years as a head coach with Chicago (1992-95), San Jose (1997-2003), Flames (2002-04; 2005-06), Kings (2011-17) and Flames again.

In eight seasons as a player in the NHL (1979-80 to 1986-87), all with the Chicago Blackhawks, Sutter had 279 career points (161 goals, 118 assists).

–Field Level Media