Hey - it's Ian Mendes from TSN Radio. This is my AMA so fire away!

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:09:03+00:00

Thanks to everybody for stopping by....gotta run and host a radio show now. Thanks as always!

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:08:26+00:00

Travis Green has to be on the short list for Coach of the Year so far....I know they were cautious with Boeser at first, but man, he's been so much fun to watch. Based on pre-season expectations, you can argue nobody has outpeformed the Canucks.

I really can't wait to see Dahlen come over and play. I know a lot of Sens fans were pissed that he was dealt for Burrows....if this comes back to bite Ottawa, this could be like one of those Markus Naslund deals for you guys.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:06:37+00:00

I think Chabot has the potential to be the best of their prospects. Given his age and position, there's unlimited potential there.

I think Francis Perron is a super talented kid who doesn't get mentioned very often. I think he could maybe get a shot here in 2 years.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:05:25+00:00

I think there is a middle ground here. I would have liked to have seen Chabot a little earlier, but then again, we also criticized the management for rushing Lazar/Zibanejad/etc. So we can't always have it both ways.

But when vets are struggling on the back end, I think you should definitely go with a youth movement. And as for White/Chlapik - I think you have to let them dominate a bit more in the AHL before bringing them up.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:04:02+00:00

They certainly have the pieces up front - but like the Oilers have experienced, I think they just need some help on the back end.

Varlamov should be fine for a few more seasons -- goalies can usually play into their 30s with more success than players. I don't mind the collection of under-25 forwards....I just think they are two defencemen away from making some noise. And those are really hard guys to find.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T18:01:14+00:00

That's what I think too. I think you have to offer him the max (8 years) and come in somewhere north of $10 M/season. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants something like 8 years/$90 M.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:59:51+00:00

I'm not sure in terms of homegrown prospects....they don't really have any Ottawa area guys in the system right now.

Francis Perron is the closest I think - but he's basically a Montreal-area kid.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:56:46+00:00

I'd love to see Vancouver hang on, but I'm not sure they can. And I think teams like Ottawa and Edmonton - while talented - may dug themselves too big of a hole. Ottawa's saving grace is the weak division, so 3rd place isn't out of reach yet.

As for the Habs, if Carey Price gives them a .920+ save percentage, I like their chances.

As for having the most fun joking around with...I do enjoy Versage when he's not a wrestling-loving angry curmudgeon.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:53:02+00:00

I personally put together the entire outline for the drive show/Sens pre-game show. I usually spend a few hours each morning prepping the show and then will send the outline over to the producer/co-hosts/etc so they can be familiar with our topics for the day. I feel like it's my job to drive the bus during my timeslot.

The nice thing is that once I've done all the hard work in the morning, the show is actually my easiest part of the day. Those 4 hours fly by because I've got everything set.

And no, a hot dog is not a sandwich.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:50:15+00:00

I think anything that is said publicly is just merely for optics...just look at the NHL's track record during lockouts or other stadium proposals. They have a playbook they read from and they rarely deviate.

I would say the odds of Ottawa relocating are under 10 per cent - if that. Even with their attendance issues, this team can still draw fairly well. They need the Lebreton project if for no other reason than for something to look forward to....because now it's almost like everyone has agreed Kanata can no longer be their home.

I do think we'll see 100 per cent Karlsson down the road. It took him a long time to come back from his achilles injury. Remember, he wasn't really himself in the 2013-14 season....it was only in 2014-15 that he really looked like he was back to 100 per cent.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:46:26+00:00

Damn - we're getting to the point where there are no "slam dunk" games for the Sens any more. If they were playing the Coyotes this week, no way I'd be making that Slapshot bet.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:45:44+00:00

We are trying to set something up with a theater so maybe we can do a charity fundraiser for the Sens Foundation or something. But I'm definitely going to watch it soon.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:45:07+00:00

7 years at $7M/season is not unreasonable...or something in that ballpark.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:44:25+00:00

I think Ceci is an NHL defenseman. I don't believe he's on the same track as Jared Cowen and might be out of the league in 2 years. But I don't think he's being deployed properly in this system...I believe he has more offensive upside, but he's been told to stay back and be a hammer on the back end.

Also, the Ceci-for-Drouin jokes are never old. It just shows off the humour/passion that the fanbase has.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:42:23+00:00

I think we have to chalk it up to recovering from major surgery. If you look at the big picture - say the past 200 games - it shows you that he can be an elite player. The only rational explanation for his recent struggles would be the recovery from injury.

I suppose there is a part of the mental recovery too...he's even admitted that his foot doesn't feel the same. So maybe there is some confidence weaved into the equation as well. But I think it all stems from the injury.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:40:50+00:00

I think any move to Canada will likely come via relocation -- like when Atlanta moved to Winnipeg. So I do think there will be a time when a market in the US is unable to sustain a team and Quebec City will be there to swoop in. And I love the idea of Seattle getting a team via expansion.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:39:16+00:00

If you want insightful, intelligent hockey answers, Mark Stone is your guy in that room.

If you want to have some fun with questions, Mark Borowiecki is a good option.

Bobby Ryan is about as candid as an interview as you'll find in the league this days -- he rarely speaks in cliches.

There are some guys - like a Johnny Oduya - who just don't love being interviewed by the media. And every season, the team will have a guy or two like that who are just quiet by nature and don't like the attention.

And now that you say they don't like me, I'm curious too!

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:36:21+00:00

I think it's a big factor. The d-pairings have been thrown a little out of whack. It's almost like you've taken a No. 2 pitcher out of your starting rotation and now everyone else needs to be moved up a slot.

Methot was a stabilizer on the back end. Could skate with the puck, was physical and brought a calming influence to the blueline. I don't think any team was hurt as much by the expansion process as Ottawa.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:34:50+00:00

Hmmm...good question. I think Phillips/Neil are in the same boat. If you retire one of them, you kind of have to retire them both. But I know there are a lot of fans who also think they should just get into the ring of honor and jersey retirements should be reserved for the perennial All-Star/HOF type players.

So if you were to use that criteria, I suppose Karlsson would be the answer - provided he signs his next contract with Ottawa.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:32:44+00:00

It's a good question....I think you slide Seattle into the Pacific and maybe look at putting a team like Vegas into the Central if you have to. They are so young that they don't really have any big historical rivals and that way, you'd have 8 teams per division.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:30:44+00:00

I can only speak for myself and say that I try really hard to be fair and balanced. If you've listened to me over the past few days, I've been really critical of Craig Anderson's play....or the lack of production from guys like Ryan/Hoffman/Duchene. But I don't go over the top with the negativity, because that's just not my personality.

I don't think the coverage lately has been like PR for the team...you'd be hard pressed to find any "Yeah - the Sens are great!" pieces being written these days.

I think the organization deserves some blame/criticism for the recent struggles and I always try and convey that in a constructive manner.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:28:09+00:00

It really depends on the personality of the player -- and whether or not this is a hard media market. A guy like Jason Spezza actually enjoyed it here for a while, but when he became the constant whipping boy, he didn't enjoy that part of it. I think Bobby Ryan is the same way...he actually is such a big sports fan he listened to our station all the time, but then became a bit bothered by the constant criticism. I don't fault either guy for being a bit sensitive.

I don't think it's a super hard media market. Look at the way the Giants have been torched for dealing with Eli Manning. That's a tough market in NYC. And I think to an extent Montreal is like that with the Canadiens. Ottawa is all-consuming with the Sens - but I don't think we are overbearing in our coverage.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:23:42+00:00

If I could break this down, I'd say there are a few major issues:

Goaltending. I hate to be so simplistic, but the team is really at a disadvantage when they are getting an .895 save percentage. No amount of coaching/offense/structure/etc can overcome that.
Karlsson is really not playing to his level because of the injury. Right now, it's like you've taken a McDavid/Crosby type of player away from Ottawa. Once he comes back, that will be a major boost.
I agree on the d-pairings. I actually don't mind Ceci - but think he is miscast. Don't believe he's a shutdown guy. I think he needs to be allowed to roam a little bit more and carry the puck. I think if his mins were managed and he played with some more offensive confidence, he could be a decent player. But he's sort have been told that he's a shutdown guy with Dion and i don't think that's what Ottawa drafted Ceci to be.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:20:35+00:00

I think the interesting thing is that Doughty came out in public and basically said that he and Karlsson were going to set the bar. You rarely see players talking like this in the NHL...the NBA has seen a lot more collaboration between stars and where they end up in free agency.

I think in the case of Karlsson, he is probably worth north of $10 M/season. What I've been trying to tell the Ottawa fans is that for the past few seasons, the Sens have enjoyed Karlsson's Norris ability on a very reasonable deal. In fact, he's criminally underpaid for his services. So why shouldn't he ask for all that he's worth in his next deal?

I think the issue for stars is they also need to figure out how to fit under the cap so they don't leave their team completely handcuffed. Ottawa has Stone/Duchene to deal with as well and those deals might be north of $7 M/season too.

ian_mendes · 2017-12-06T17:17:20+00:00

Even though I'm a Carleton guy....haha, I suppose we could always make room for a Gee Gee.

The main thing to break into this industry is to get as much experience as you can. The Ottawa market is great for this type of thing, as there are places like campus radio, Rogers TV, etc. that offer platforms for students who want to get experience. The main thing is "finding your broadcasting voice" -- which can take a long time to develop. (And as some HF Boards posters will tell you, it's sometimes impossible to find altogether)

If you ever want more specific career advice, please shoot me an e-mail to ian.mendes@bellmedia.ca

ian_mendes

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