Confirmed with Link: Don Waddell Resigns not be confused with Re-Sign

[Borsig]

Tulsky would probably do a better job.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

His thinking may be that he has put this team on firm ground and it's probably a good time to go find a new challenge.
He can go but better not take any of our draft guys with him. That is an area that we are truly excelling at.

 

[NotOpie]

His thinking may be that he has put this team on firm ground and it's probably a good time to go find a new challenge.
He can go but better not take any of our draft guys with him. That is an area that we are truly excelling at.

I thought I read that there was some speculation that the renovation/development projects are outside of his interest and/or expertise. Don's at the point in his career where I'm guessing he wants to simplify as opposed to adding complexity.

 

[spockBokk]

You’d think with all the roster upheaval they’d want some continuity, but oh well. Always in the news cycle…

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I thought I read that there was some speculation that the renovation/development projects are outside of his interest and/or expertise. Don's at the point in his career where I'm guessing he wants to simplify as opposed to adding complexity.

This makes perfect sense, but what is Dundon going to do, go find a GM that continues to want to do both? They're different jobs, they should have two roles. Waddell always seemed to me to enjoy the business/ops aspect so I thought that's why he did both. But if he doesn't like it, just hire a business guy.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

you guys kidding me right? Good riddance , hes partly reason the Thrashers are no longer here , bad trades , this one still burns , Hamilton (choker) for 2 promising players that signed contracts we could have handle anyhow , i hope they are searching for a new GM before He does like JR and Eddie Johnston did to us , i would want an ex Player GM i would offer the job to Joel Quennville ex Whaler and Keep this Tulsky guy if we need to ....is he our version of that Moneyball guy lol

The ownership did atlanta in. Cmon now. Its like the skinner trade, when you have both hands tied behind your back your going to lose

 

[Identity404]

I thought I read that there was some speculation that the renovation/development projects are outside of his interest and/or expertise. Don's at the point in his career where I'm guessing he wants to simplify as opposed to adding complexity.

If this is true it makes sense I guess. One reason Dundon liked Waddell over Francis was because Waddell also had the business/management experience in addition to hockey operations. If development isn’t in his expertise or interest, then he is of less value, as all of the hockey decisions are by committee… Dundon would have to hire someone else for that, and could replace Waddell with someone cheaper… like Tulsky.

I’m completely apathetic to this. Waddell seems to be doing a good job, but never struck me as a glue guy that would be difficult to replace

 

[Chrispy]

While I agree Waddell is not irreplaceable, I question whether Tulsky is the person to replace Waddell. Waddell's strength within the Borg was his contacts around the league and his ability to wheel and deal with other GMs due to his previous relationships. Tulsky won't have that.

You can bring in someone who has those contacts and that history, but will they be able to work in the Borg setting that has been developed? Waddell was pretty unique in terms of being a traditional GM who other GMs respected while also being willing to work in Carolina's front office by committee.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see fewer trades in the future as a replacement doesn't have the same connections to work that Waddell did.

 

[Identity404]

While I agree Waddell is not irreplaceable, I question whether Tulsky is the person to replace Waddell. Waddell's strength within the Borg was his contacts around the league and his ability to wheel and deal with other GMs due to his previous relationships. Tulsky won't have that.

You can bring in someone who has those contacts and that history, but will they be able to work in the Borg setting that has been developed? Waddell was pretty unique in terms of being a traditional GM who other GMs respected while also being willing to work in Carolina's front office by committee.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see fewer trades in the future as a replacement doesn't have the same connections to work that Waddell did.

I was kind of thinking the same thing too… but Waddell has more of a history missing out on big trades here, rather than making a bunch of good ones.

 

[UNCCHcane]

I had a brief encounter with Waddell with my son during, of all things, a monster truck show at PNC. He was coming out of one of the suites and I recognized him and shook his hand. He was kind and took a few minutes to speak to me and my son. He came on board with our team at a low point and has done, what I think, is a great job with co-managing and navigating the challenges of an involved owner. I have no concerns about our ability to successfully replace him if he goes and wish him the best of luck, but also have no concerns with him staying either.

 

[SlavinAway]

How is nobody asking the important question? What happens to the turtlenecks?!

 

[Chrispy]

I was kind of thinking the same thing too… but Waddell has more of a history missing out on big trades here, rather than making a bunch of good ones.

He has missed out on some, but he has also been involved in a lot of potential big trades over time. Sometimes you can't control what other teams come in and offer (see Tkachuk.)

I know people rag on the Hamilton deal, but they got a great top 2 D for 3 years on a reasonable contract. That is going to cost you a lot, and it did. He pulled off Rask for Nino, which had a huge impact on the first season run to the playoffs that started this period of success. He pulled off the Darling-Reimer trade that not only prevented the buyout, but gave Carolina a solid backup for 2 years. Pacioretty and Burns were acquired for next to nothing. Trocheck and Skjei in 2020.

Does a new GM have a higher hit rate because they are more successful at closing the deal, or does a new GM have a higher hit rate because they get involved in fewer conversations?

If they make the same number of good deals, it probably doesn't matter. But I wonder if the same opportunities will be identified.

 

[Buenos Necas]

How is nobody asking the important question? What happens to the turtlenecks?!

I’ve had this little skit idea in my mind, assuming that Don would eventually hand the GM title to Tulsky. In the style of the Mean Joe Greene coke commercial, Don is walking out from a game, looking very tired and someone off camera offers him a coffee. He takes it, then turns back and says “hey kid…catch” and tosses Tulsky the turtleneck.

 

[Svechhammer]

The ownership did atlanta in. Cmon now. Its like the skinner trade, when you have both hands tied behind your back your going to lose

I dunno, when you get Kochetkov and Nikishin out of one trade, it's hard to argue you lost it.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I dunno, when you get Kochetkov and Nikishin out of one trade, it's hard to argue you lost it.

Sure but that is 3 year hindsight

 

[Blueline Bomber]

While I agree Waddell is not irreplaceable, I question whether Tulsky is the person to replace Waddell. Waddell's strength within the Borg was his contacts around the league and his ability to wheel and deal with other GMs due to his previous relationships. Tulsky won't have that.

You can bring in someone who has those contacts and that history, but will they be able to work in the Borg setting that has been developed? Waddell was pretty unique in terms of being a traditional GM who other GMs respected while also being willing to work in Carolina's front office by committee.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see fewer trades in the future as a replacement doesn't have the same connections to work that Waddell did.

Tulsky's been the Assistant GM for a while now, and his name is pretty well known among that level of management. Hell, IIRC, there's been talks about him taking a GM job for other organizations in year's past.

So I imagine that while he may not have the same personal relationship with some of the other GMs that Waddell has, he's not completely out of left field and will thus have a good professional relationship with others if he is our replacement.

 

[Svechhammer]

Sure but that is 3 year hindsight

Trades for picks always take a while to see their valuation. Even at the time, we admitted that it would take years to see how the Skinner trade would balance.

In the long run, it appears to be swinging strongly toward our side.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

They did this last time.

I don't know why Dundon insists in turning every signing into Canes news. Possibly that PT Barnum belief.

I think if Waddell is going anywhere, it's the Atlanta expansion, he still has family down there. And it'd be really, really funny

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

They did this last time.

I don't know why Dundon insists in turning every signing into Canes news. Possibly that PT Barnum belief.

I think if Waddell is going anywhere, it's the Atlanta expansion, he still has family down there. And it'd be really, really funny

All publicity is good publicity

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Columbus is where you go when you have no other options. If Waddell wants to go there then that's fine but you essentially take that job with the understanding that you're going to get fired at some point or hopefully you can build up enough currency around the league to move to another organization. You aren't going there to win or build a winner.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I really have no complaints about DW in his tenure here, he's not the monster old Thrashers fans made him out to be. Sure some of the trades and signings have been whiffs/misses, can't win them all...how much of that is just him vs the GMBC we probably don't know. It's nice that we always seem to be sniffing around players who may shake loose to see if they could help us improve the team, we've acquired a lot of draft currency while also being an annual playoff contender. If he goes, best of luck to him, seems like a great guy in general. If he's just trying to get a gauge on the market for us to re-sign, fine with that too.

 

[DaveG]

While I agree Waddell is not irreplaceable, I question whether Tulsky is the person to replace Waddell. Waddell's strength within the Borg was his contacts around the league and his ability to wheel and deal with other GMs due to his previous relationships. Tulsky won't have that.

You can bring in someone who has those contacts and that history, but will they be able to work in the Borg setting that has been developed? Waddell was pretty unique in terms of being a traditional GM who other GMs respected while also being willing to work in Carolina's front office by committee.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see fewer trades in the future as a replacement doesn't have the same connections to work that Waddell did.

This is the biggest reason I think it's going to be Williams. Weekes is also a possibility but I'm not sure he'll be all in on the group structure the way Williams would be since Willy is already working in it and knows how it works.

 

[bobc222]

I think GMDW will step away in the next day or two. As much as you can like an organization and the people there, working for an Owner like Dundon has got to grind on your soul over time.

Dundon just does not have the good character that an owner should, doesn't treat people right, especially loyal ones, and tries to play hardball with people who have great reps in this market and in this league. Hell the man made his fortune through predatory lending to poor people.

 

[spockBokk]

This is the biggest reason I think it's going to be Williams. Weekes is also a possibility but I'm not sure he'll be all in on the group structure the way Williams would be since Willy is already working in it and knows how it works.

I dunno.

If Waddell leaves and the pass on promoting Tulsky, you have to think he’s going to take that as a major slight. Especially after he’s already interviewed for multiple GM jobs with other teams.

Are they willing to potentially lose Tulsky too?

 

[Chrispy]

Columbus is where you go when you have no other options. If Waddell wants to go there then that's fine but you essentially take that job with the understanding that you're going to get fired at some point or hopefully you can build up enough currency around the league to move to another organization. You aren't going there to win or build a winner.

In Waddell's case it would be one final payday from Columbus. He might also see an opportunity to re-shape a franchise that desperately needs shaping after Jarmo seemed to change direction multiple times (go for it, then rebuild, then move PLD for Laine, then sign Gaudreau to try and jump past the rebuild?)

I dunno.

If Waddell leaves and the pass on promoting Tulsky, you have to think he’s going to take that as a major slight. Especially after he’s already interviewed for multiple GM jobs with other teams.

Are they willing to potentially lose Tulsky too?

I can see Justin Williams as an AGM who is more front-facing to the press and other teams while Tulsky takes on the GM role from the background.