REPORT: Don Waddell Has Interviewed With Columbus Per Multiple Reports

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Candidates: Don Waddell

In a weird twist, this piece on Waddell was going to be released today anyway. Good timing. 

With Blue Jacket fans and media hyper-focused on Eric Tulsky, the AGM in Carolina, we may be paying attention to the wrong Carolina Hurricanes employee.

Per the below tweet from Pierre LeBrun, the current Hurricanes President and GM has been granted permission to speak to other teams. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman later tweeted that he believes Don Waddell was interviewed by Columbus on Thursday. The question is, would he be hired as President or GM? Or Both? Would he come in as a President and then hire a GM? Personally, I can't see him doing the latter in such a short period, unless he already knows who he wants to hire. 

Don Waddell has loads of front-office experience. He's spent the last 10 seasons with Carolina. For the first four years, he was President only and then took on the GM job in 2018. Since he became the GM, the Canes have won 278 games, gone to the conference finals twice, lost in the second round three times, and only once had a first-round exit. 

Before his time in Carolina, he spent 13 seasons with the expansion Atlanta Thrashers. His time would end in Atlanta when he decided he wouldn't be relocating to Winnipeg. In Atlanta, he was VP of Hockey Operations, General Manager, GM/Head Coach, Ex. VP of Hockey Operations, and President. After the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, he took a Pro Scout job with the Pittsburgh Penguins for three seasons. He's also held GM and AGM positions with Team USA. 

Could this be the executive that the Blue Jackets have been waiting on all along? It seems we should've been talking about Waddell the whole time. 

Waddell has done a great job in Carolina, and this will be something to watch in the next few days. 

What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum.

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