Blue Jackets name Waddell President & GM

The Blue Jackets named Don Waddell  their new president of hockey operations, GM and one of three alternate governors. John Davidson , who held the president of hockey operations title for 10 of the past 12 years over two stints and acted as interim GM following Jarmo Kekalainen ’s firing on Feb. 15, is now senior advisor and alternate governor. Waddell resigned as president and GM of the Hurricanes on Friday after "spending a decade with the organization, including the past six with GM responsibilities." Now, he's in charge of a franchise that has only qualified for the playoffs six times in 23 seasons and won just one playoff series in 2019. Waddell is expected to "guide the Blue Jackets through a critical offseason," starting with the NHL Draft June 28-29, but "could also hire a GM at some point to defer responsibilities" ( COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 5/28 ).