Confirmed with Link: CBJ hire Don Waddell as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. JD to serve as Senior Advisor

[CBJWerenski8]

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[Viqsi]

Well, I guess I get to hope this is another Tortorella moment for me.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[GoJackets1]

I assume and hope we still hire a GM. Dougie Mac has made me swear off PHOP/GM combo guys forever.

 

[Doggy]

I know its been a couple days but nice to see AP back on the beat, likely means his health is improving.

 

[MissADD]

The phrase "top of hockey ops" leads me to believe that he is probably taking over JD's role. I'm curious to see if that's the case and if it is who his GM will be

 

[MFRONE]

Not sure why the holiday should delay the hiring process, just get something done.

 

[ClevelandJacketFan]

Well, I guess I get to hope this is another Tortorella moment for me.

He had the foresight to hire Eric Tulsky, or put him in an advantageous position to begin with.

The biggest thing I wanted was someone who knew what it takes to put together an organization. Waddell, unequivocally, has what it takes to hire the right people to turn around and run a high level hockey operation.

This is a major win for the Jackets, IMO. This is even better than my preferred choice of Zito and MacFarland. They are getting THE GUY to build a Carolina type of organization.

Pretty exciting, imo.

 

[MissADD]

Not sure why the holiday should delay the hiring process, just get something done.

League office closed for all non playoff stuff?

 

[KJ Dangler]

Sounds like Pascal is on his way out as well

https://x.com/i/web/status/1794401902177685873

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I'm happy with this if it's to replace JD. Great servant for the club and I hope he stays in some advisory role, but I don't trust JD's judgement much anymore.

Some people predicted this pretty nicely, so the Tulsky GM predictions better be right as well

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Hire Waddell to “tops of hockey ops” post

JD remains in his current role

They hire a GM

Waddell formally named PHOp

JD moves into consultant role, maybe even continues to handle the team’s representation with the league, freeing Waddell to absorb some of the rumored biz ops from Priest

It’s a sequence of events I could see happening

 

[Viqsi]

He had the foresight to hire Eric Tulsky, or put him in an advantageous position to begin with.

The biggest thing I wanted was someone who knew what it takes to put together an organization. Waddell, unequivocally, has what it takes to hire the right people to turn around and run a high level hockey operation.

This is a major win for the Jackets, IMO. This is even better than my preferred choice of Zito and MacFarland. They are getting THE GUY to build a Carolina type of organization.

Pretty exciting, imo.

I can understand why folks are interested, and it's why I'm trying to find room for optimism. But I can't get past the Thrashers. I desperately hope I'm wrong on that.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I can understand why folks are interested, and it's why I'm trying to find room for optimism. But I can't get past the Thrashers. I desperately hope I'm wrong on that.

Trashers stint ended 15 years ago. Gotta have at least some belief that a person can change and improve in their a job during that time. Especially when Canes has turned into an perennial contender under him.

 

[Viqsi]

Trashers stint ended 15 years ago. Gotta have at least some belief that a person can change and improve in their a job during that time. Especially when Canes has turned into an perennial contender under him.

I frankly don't credit him for the Canes at all.

Seriously, y'all. You're not going to convince me on this one. The only one who can convince me that this is going to work is Waddell himself.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I frankly don't credit him for the Canes at all.

Seriously, y'all. You're not going to convince me on this one. The only one who can convince me that this is going to work is Waddell himself.

we'll keep trying until you give up just to please us

 

[Viqsi]

we'll keep trying until you give up just to please us

Guess my banhammering arm is going to get a workout in the next couple days, then.

 

[Derailed75]

Good luck Jackets. Donny Wads will give you great sound bites if nothing else.

I never met him personally but plenty of people on HF26 did and said he is a 100% stand up guy that will talk to anyone that approaches him.

 

[Cujorulesdtown9]

Im not unhappy with this hire.
What remains to be seen is who gets shown the door on and off the ice before next season because of this hire.
Hes got a vision if he went from interview to hired that quickly.

 

[majormajor]

He had the foresight to hire Eric Tulsky, or put him in an advantageous position to begin with.

The biggest thing I wanted was someone who knew what it takes to put together an organization. Waddell, unequivocally, has what it takes to hire the right people to turn around and run a high level hockey operation.

This is a major win for the Jackets, IMO. This is even better than my preferred choice of Zito and MacFarland. They are getting THE GUY to build a Carolina type of organization.

Pretty exciting, imo.

Was Waddell the one that hired Tulsky, or are you just assuming that?

It's not straightforward with Carolina. Dundon was the one who hired Brind'Amour, for example.

I don't know if Canes fans know exactly who assembled the borg. What we know is that Waddell can work with good people, not necessarily that he is the one to hire them.

Sounds like Pascal is on his way out as well

https://x.com/i/web/status/1794401902177685873

It's not clear to me if there is new news here.

 

[Dumais]

it's a good start.

A good foundation guy (business & hockey) and he's been around to see some bad and good things. So he know where the bar is set and where it ends. Of course all teams are different and each has it's own environmental influences. Hope they hire more people like Waddell, let some experienced people determine if Nash is GM material.

 

[majormajor]

Rick Nash is 39 years old.

I am a bit annoyed that Marek keeps bringing him up as if he's the crown prince. It feels 5-10 years too early.

 

[CBJx614]

Rick Nash is 39 years old.

I am a bit annoyed that Marek keeps bringing him up as if he's the crown prince. It feels 5-10 years too early.

Imo he's still a minimum of 3-5 years in an actual AGM role before he could truly be talked about as a potential candidate for anything

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Imo he's still a minimum of 3-5 years in an actual AGM role before he could truly be talked about as a potential candidate for anything

Someone needs more experience than a doctor does to be a general manager of a hockey team?

They used to sit quarterbacks for three or four years before they gave them a chance to start and now they put them in there day one.

I don’t think experience means a thing as a GM, you either have it or you don’t.

 

[MoeBartoli]

He had the foresight to hire Eric Tulsky, or put him in an advantageous position to begin with.

The biggest thing I wanted was someone who knew what it takes to put together an organization. Waddell, unequivocally, has what it takes to hire the right people to turn around and run a high level hockey operation.

This is a major win for the Jackets, IMO. This is even better than my preferred choice of Zito and MacFarland. They are getting THE GUY to build a Carolina type of organization.

Pretty exciting, imo.

My. Notice, too, over McFarland and Holland, but not over Zito.