OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators have hired longtime local journalists Ian Mendes and Sylvain St-Laurent to their communications department.
The Senators announced Wednesday that Mendes will join the team as vice president of communications while St-Laurent will serve as director of communications.
Mendes has covered the Senators more than 20 years for Rogers Sportsnet, TSN 1200 and most recently as a senior writer for The Athletic.
He returns to the Senators organization after working as the NHL club's manager of communications from 2000 to 2002.
“Returning to the organization that helped launch my career is truly a special feeling,” Mendes said in a statement. “I’m excited to bring my skillset as a journalist and storyteller to the organization to help create dynamic and compelling content across various platforms.”
St-Laurent followed the Senators for more than 20 years as a beat writer and columnist for French newspaper Le Droit.
He left Le Droit last December before taking on the role of media relations manager for Ottawa's Professional Women's Hockey League team during its inaugural season.
‘’I was very impressed when Michael Andlauer made it clear, as soon as he arrived, that the Senators are the team for the Ottawa-Gatineau region,” St-Laurent said. “I’ve spent two decades telling hockey stories, mainly to French-speaking fans. It's only natural for me to continue this work in the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario communities.’’
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2024.
The Canadian Press
