The Columbus Blue Jackets’ search for their next general manager (GM) could be over. Pierre Lebrun of TSN and The Athletic reports that Don Waddell is the Blue Jackets’ top choice to take over the hockey ops position. Darren Dreger of TSN corroborated the report, suggesting it’s likely the holiday weekend holding up the contract work.
Waddell has been in management of a hockey club since the 1980s, when he became a player-coach in the now-defunct International Hockey League (IHL). He ascended to GM, spending a decade leading teams in the IHL before grabbing an NHL gig in 1997-98. That was with the Detroit Red Wings, as their assistant general manager. After only a season there, he was whisked away to become the GM and vice president of hockey operations for the expansion Atlanta Thrashers.
Waddell shepherded the Thrashers throughout their existence, choosing not to relocate with the team to Winnipeg in 2011. He took a couple of years in lesser roles before finding his latest home with the Carolina Hurricanes as their president and eventual GM. Since he took over in 2014-15, the Hurricanes have been transformed into a consistent top team. They ended a nine-year playoff drought and have now made the post-season in each of the past six years. Over that time, they have never been eliminated in the first round to boot. Seemingly out of nowhere on May 23, it was reported that Waddell was resigning from the Hurricanes to be replaced by assistant general manager Eric Tulsky. It was also reported that he’d interviewed with Columbus the day before that.
Related: Blue Jackets News & Rumors: Waddell, Monsters & More
The Blue Jackets have been looking for their next GM since firing Jarmo Kekalainen mid-season. Kekalainen had been a first-time GM and led Columbus through their most successful era in franchise history. Waddell is an experienced hand, who the team could be betting on to lead them to more success as their crop of high-end talent continues to develop. With players like Adam Fantilli, David Jiricek, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, and more on the way, the Blue Jackets cannot afford to mess up this hire.
