Last week in this space, I explained our thought process behind making a statement earlier this month to dispel any rumours surrounding our netminder Linus Ullmark.
This week, I’m going to use my column to shed some light on our media strategy around Linus’ return, because you’re going to be hearing from him very soon.
As you may have noticed, Linus was back practicing with the team on Friday at the Bell Sensplex. In most instances, when a player re-joins the team for a full practice, he’s made available to the reporters in the locker. And sure enough, all the reporters who were in attendance on Friday were curious about Linus’ availability to them for an interview. But this is a unique situation that needs be handled differently than any other typical return to action for a player.
Earlier in the week, I discussed our media strategy around his return with Linus himself and Steve Staios. I told both of them that I had no interest in putting Linus into a scrum with a large group of reporters.
Given the nature of what Linus will be asked, I didn’t think a scrum setting was an appropriate backdrop for this line of questioning. Scrums are inherently impersonal, with reporters often talking over each other to ask questions. Linus needed a quiet, authentic setting for his first interview back since taking a leave of absence on December 28.
I asked Erin Campbell in our communications department to study a handful of cases of players returning to the lineup after a personal leave of absence. How did they handle their first session with the media? The best scenario we found was Jonathan Drouin, who opened up about his anxiety during a sitdown interview with Chantal Machabee of RDS. It was the perfect setting for a player to discuss a deeply personal subject.
Now how do you go about handpicking the one media member and outlet that will get this interview?
That’s the tricky part.
We knew we could not do anything with our own channels with the hockey team. While I’m a seasoned professional and conducted countless interviews on sensitive subjects, it would not be a good look if Linus’ first public statements came filtered through a Senators channel. Even if I asked all the right questions, there would be transparency issues with people wondering what we left on the cutting room floor. And those concerns would be totally fair and valid. Some of you hammered us for putting out a fiery statement two weeks ago, so we can’t be the first ones asking the questions to the player at the centre of it all.
So as Linus and I went down the list of potential candidates, I pitched the idea of a sitdown interview with Claire Hanna from TSN. Linus has a lot of respect for Claire and since she works for TSN, there was an opportunity to work with our regional rightsholder on this one.
But in full transparency, Claire and TSN’s editorial team did not accept the interview right away. They had legitimate questions surrounding the ground rules for this type of interview. If this was going to be a situation where it would be PR-approved questions only, they were likely going to take a pass. They wanted the freedom to ask what they believed were tough, but fair questions.
So after chatting with Linus, he was essentially willing to be an open book. No rules or restrictions on the questions – just an ask for respect and courtesy when those questions were asked. And before the cameras were rolling, Claire and Linus had a chance to chat about the topics they would cover.
The result was a raw, genuine and powerful interview that took place on Saturday morning inside one of the restaurants inside Canadian Tire Centre. I sat by and watched the entire interview, captivated by every word that escaped Linus’ mouth. I’m really proud of him for being authentic and vulnerable.
I will leave it to TSN to roll out their strategy on releasing this interview – on social media, Sportscentre and our Sens broadcast – but I truly believe this was the correct way for Linus to have his story told.
Trivia time: The Sens tied a franchise record during Wednesday’s 8-4 win over the Rangers when three defencemen – Nick Jensen, Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot – scored a goal in the same game. The last time that happened was January 28, 2020. Can you name the three Sens defencemen who scored for Ottawa in that game?
If you can get this one without looking up the box score from that date, it’s super impressive.
Answer at the bottom of this column.
Digging up the time capsule
Shawn McKenzie opened up his Hockey Night in Canada broadcast on Saturday night standing next to a time capsule inside Canadian Tire Centre.
About two months ago, we had the idea of digging up the time capsule that was buried beneath the main Gate 1 entrance at Canadian Tire Centre. It was placed in there by club officials just a couple of months before the building officially opened in January of 1996.
We thought it would be a fun idea to dig it up for the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Tire Centre. But of course, this required a lot of logistical planning and coordination. Did anybody know exactly where this thing was buried? The last thing we needed was an excavation project gone wrong. (Headline: ‘Senators dig hole for themselves.’)
Thanks to our friends at Cavanagh Construction, they were willing to come in last week and dig it up. We’ve got a cool preview video that was captured by our videographer Ben Coles.
And on Friday, we had Cyril Leeder and Bruce Firestone – two men who helped bury the time capsule 30 years ago – open it up and pull out the contents. There are some really cool items in there and we’ll be unveiling a full video in the days ahead.
If you’ve got any guesses on what was buried in there 30 years ago, shoot us an email at [email protected]. We might just pick a lucky reader or two to receive one of the items.
Media roundup: Looking back at some interesting and fun Senators stories you might have missed over the past seven days.
Speaking of the 30th anniversary at Canadian Tire Centre, Tyler Fleming of CTV Ottawa did a really nice piece on the subject this week.
Sticking with that theme, myself and Sylvain St. Laurent counted down the top 30 moments from the 30 years at the Canadian Tire Centre. See if you agree with our list here.
Tyler also came out to Brady’s Skate For Kids, highlighting the captain and his wife Emma’s amazing relationship with the BGC kids in our community.
The kitchen at Roger Nielson Children’s Hospice is now officially named after the Senators Community Foundation. Another cool local story covered by CTV Ottawa.
Trivia answer:
The three Senators defencemen who scored in the same game on January 28, 2020 at Buffalo: Mike Reilly, Mark Borowiecki and Nikita Zaitsev.
Fun fact – Borowiecki and Zaitsev both scored empty net goals to seal the game in the third period.
