![Blue Jackets announce Don Waddell as president of hockey operations, general manager, and alternate governor Blue Jackets announce Don Waddell as president of hockey operations, general manager, and alternate governor](https://i1.wp.com/media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_ratio16_9-size50/prd/v6udgoaifrxqpuvkd8wk.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that veteran NHL executive Don Waddell has agreed to a multi-year contract to serve as the club’s president of hockey operations, general manager and alternate governor. The club also announced that John Davidson, who has been the club’s president of hockey operations for 10 of the last 12 years, has agreed to serve as senior advisor and alternate governor. Waddell will be introduced at a news conference on Wednesday.
“To our fans, we remain committed to providing all the resources necessary to build a team and an organization that competes for the Stanley Cup,” said Blue Jackets majority owner and governor John P. McConnell. “After spending time getting to know Don, I believe his experience and leadership will lead us down the path to success.”
Waddell has spent the last 10 years with the Hurricanes, serving as team president from 2014 to 2018 and as team president and general manager since 2018. Over the last six seasons, Carolina has compiled a record of 278-130-44 to rank second place on the list. NHL in points percentage (.664; Boston – .695) and third in wins (Boston-631, Tampa Bay-601). The Hurricanes won three division titles (2021-Central, 2022 and 2023-Metropolitan), advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs each year and earned trips to the Eastern Conference Finals twice (2019, 2023) during that time. Before taking over as general manager, Carolina had missed the playoffs in 11 of the previous 12 seasons.
“Don Waddell is one of the most experienced and respected executives in our game, with more than four decades of experience as a player, scout, head coach, general manager and team president,” said the Blue Jackets president and alternate governor. , Mike Priest. “More recently, he turned the Carolina Hurricanes into one of the winningest clubs in the National Hockey League. Don has all of the attributes we were looking for when this process began and we are thrilled to have him lead our hockey operations efforts.”
Waddell began his NHL career in 1997-98 and won a Stanley Cup championship as assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. The following year, he joined the expansion Atlanta Thrashers as vice president of hockey operations and general manager and would serve in that role until 2010, when he was named team president. He also served as executive vice president and co-chairman of the executive committee of Atlanta Spirit, the parent company of the Thrashers, the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and Philips Arena. He then worked for three years as a professional scout and consultant with the Pittsburgh Penguins before coming to Carolina in 2014.
“I have known Don for many years and he is one of the great gentlemen in our business,” Davidson said. “He is a very intelligent and dedicated professional who has demonstrated a great ability to bring people together to work towards a common goal and achieve success. “I think this is a great day for our organization and our fans.”
The Detroit, Michigan native has also held various roles with USA Hockey during his career. In 2013, he was named an international consultant with a special focus on player identification and interface with the US Junior National Team and the US Hockey National Team Development Program. He served as general manager of the Team USA at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and at the 2001, 2002, and 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships. As a player, he helped Team USA . USA to win the gold medal at the 1983 IIHF World Championship.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Columbus Blue Jackets as it is an organization that has everything it takes to be successful at the highest level,” Waddell said. “It is a wonderful city with passionate fans, strong owners, first-class facilities and the desire to be the best. “I would like to thank the McConnell family, Mike Priest and John Davidson for this opportunity and I look forward to being a part of this community.”
Before embarking on his NHL management career, Waddell spent a decade as executive vice president and general manager of the International Hockey League (IHL) franchises in San Diego (1990-95) and Orlando (1995-97) and was twice named IHL Executive. the Year (1992-93, 1995-96). In Orlando, he was vice president of RDV Sports and served on the executive committee that oversaw the NBA’s Orlando Magic, the IHL’s Orlando Solar Bears and the company’s retail and aviation interests.
Waddell played four seasons of Division I college hockey as a defenseman and majored in business management at Northern Michigan University from 1976 to 1980. He was a seventh-round Draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 1978 NHL Draft and He spent three years in the organization. He then played nine seasons as a professional, mainly in the IHL. He also served as head coach of the San Diego Gulls of the IHL in 1991-92 and was interim head coach of the Thrashers on two occasions (2002-03, 2007-08) during his tenure with the club.
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