The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Don Waddell

Episode Date: January 9, 2025

Don Waddell, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets joins Jeff Marek on The Sheet to discuss CBJ snapping their drought in Pittsburgh, the Sean Monahan injury, Mathieu Olivier's future in Columbus, and much more...Shout out to our sponsors!👍🏼Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/Reach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Flames_Nation🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And with that, let's welcome to the sheet made in voyage for Don Waddell, the general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Don, first of all, thanks so much for joining me today. And second of all, congratulations. What was the mood around the squad after breaking that unfortunate streak? Yeah, thanks for having me, Jeff. You know, it's interesting because I went into the game not knowing we had a streak in Pittsburgh.

I don't pay attention to a whole lot of things, especially just being here, but I learned it in the first period watching on the video screen there in Pittsburgh. So I'm extremely happy with the guys. I'm very pleased for all the guys that have been here and been through a lot of losses in Pittsburgh. So I can't speak in the volumes about coming back in a game that we're down 3-1 and then they put in a shoot up. And you know that is a tough one too because Sean Monahan is lost in the game as well. Adam Fantilli gets bumped up to that spot as well. First of all, is there any update on Monahan or are we still waiting?

We're waiting. He's getting a bone scan today. We don't have that back yet, but I think either way, I mean, his wrist is pretty swollen and that we'll miss him for some time, hopefully not a long time. Okay, fingers crossed there. A couple of things that I want to get into here with you. Now that you've, listen, Lindy Ruff not too long ago in Buffalo saying like, look, I've had 20 games with this team, I know what the team is all about. When you first took over the Columbus Blue Jackets as a manager

in the NHL, you have an idea of what each team is all about. But since you've been there and had a good peek under the hood and know what CBJ is all about, what's turned your head? What's impressed you? What did you think was true as opposed to now what you know is true about your team? Yeah, you know, when you, when you take over, you know, you do an assessment of the team and, you know, being in the NHL and playing Columbus many, many times over the years, I had a pretty good feel for what was going on here. And, you know, we knew we needed to make some changes and obviously it's all started with hiring Dean Emerson as our coach and building out our coaching staff.

But, you know, we had to bring the guys together and certainly we faced some adversity off the start of the year, obviously. And then we lost some key players injuries. And what I really like is how this group has come together. And it's really been, you know, Boone Jenner is our captain, Eric Brunson is one of our leaders, but both guys have been out. And so it was up to other players, Zach Renske, I just can't say enough good things about him on and off the ice. He's really taken on a leadership role along with Sean Monahan, you know,

and I was really concerned about Sean coming into the year because of everything that happened in the summertime and the reasons, one of the reasons why he wanted to come to Columbus. And again, he's he's been not only a summertime. And the reasons, one of the reasons why he wanted to come to Columbus. And again, he's been a not only a great player on ice, but a great leader for us and a great guy for our young players. We got a lot of good young players, but they need players to look up to. And certainly both those players are guys that they gravitate to.

So very, very pleased with that. And overall, we got some really good young talent here, you know, and some guys that, uh, are still learning the 200 foot game. You know, I find with the young players today, it's all about points. And I keep telling these guys, you know, you're going to make your money, you know, the year, year, year playing the league for a long time. The way you get more points is by earning more ice time. And that's playing the 200 foot game.

So I think some guys have gone through some transitions that way and we were starting to get some pay off from that. Is that the main teaching point by Dean Evason? I mean, he's done like a wonderful job with your team so far here. Is that the main teaching point from Evason you think? Yeah, 100%. You look at a guy like Marcenko who's always scored goals for us and you know and some people thought you know he's only out to build up his resume and you look

what he's done for us this year you know he's playing in every situation because he is playing the 200-foot game and you know he's got a big frame gets in the way you know finishes his checks so forth so I think you know it starts his checks, so forth. So I think, you know, it starts with the coaching, but then it goes to the locker room and it's up to the players and the buy-in to that identity and certainly they have done that. Let me ask you about Murashenko a little bit more. 45 points, 3.8 million dollars. A lot of people look at him and saying like, wow, that's a great deal for this player who's really producing for the Columbus Blue Jackets. I want to

ask about Voronkov here in a couple of seconds as well. But what have you learned about him? I'm always curious again maybe I'm focusing in too much on you know new eyes on the team but you know what did you think going in and what do you know now about Marchenko? Yeah Marchenko is an interesting guy because you know I tried not to when I got here, you know, obviously people want to tell me a lot of different things and I wanted to form my own opinion. And, you know, once I got to meet Marcinko, I talked to him in the summertime.

And once he got here in camp and I really started spending a lot of time around the locker room that this is one good person who speaks perfect English, wants to be a good player, great player in this league. His work habits are very, very strong. And again, I don't want to can't speak for what's happened in the past. I can only speak for what I've seen. He's been tremendous.

He's always got a smile on his face. I don't think he's ever had a bad day. He shows up for work every day, whether it's game or practice and gives you the same effort so again nothing but very big praises for Marchi. I mentioned the great visuals last night that your social media team put out about Dmitry Voronkov you know with with arms around the guys and then in the at the end of the game last night at PPG Paints. 28 points so far for Voronkov and he seems to have really, I know you weren't there last year, but he seems to really be in a better place overall in Columbus on this team.

Everything about Voronkov just seems different than it was not too long ago. Yeah, you know he started off a little slow, he had an injury that held him up for a little bit at the start of the year. But once he got going here, and I'll give a lot of credit to Marchi because Marchi's really taken him under his wing and really helped him, you know, it's his second year in the league. But for Ankoff, you know, his hands around the net, you know, he goes to the front of the net, he scores, I think all his goals from within five feet of the net,

which is a big body, impossible to move out of there. And he's got great hands around the net. So he's a guy that has really grown on us here. The upside is still way in front of him, a young player. And I think as he gets more experience and more time in the league, he's going to be a more effective player. You know, he sticks up for his teammates. You know, he's team first kind of guy and it's great to see.

You know, I've always considered Don old school toughness to be a luxury item. You love it if you have it and generally you want to keep it but sometimes those guys have a hard time staying in the lineup. I want to ask you about Mathieu Olivier and his future with Columbus because listen I don't need to tell you this you might be the toughest guy in the NHL full stop and it's a great luxury to have. Is there any update with with Mathieu Matthew Olivier and your thoughts on him as a member of Columbus? Yeah, certainly we're in talks with his representation. I've said publicly that that's number one priority

on my list is to get him signed and locked up for years to come here. You know, he's another guy that's really stepped up in the locker room. And I think it comes with, you know, maybe before he was only playing, you know, maybe before he was only playing, you know, eight, 10 minutes a night. Now he's playing 15, 17 minutes a night, taking a bigger role in the team. He's having a career year, scoring goals. But as you said, he makes our team

better because of what he brings to the table. And important piece that we're hoping that we can get locked up for a long period of time and we'll hopefully continue to move forward with them. But again, he's been another guy that has stepped up in the locker room taking on a leadership role. What did it feel like this morning waking up in a wild card position? I know about games in hand and percentages and all that but what did that feel like this morning? Yeah, yeah we looked at it in the airplane last night coming back from Pittsburgh and it's a good feeling you know. Yeah we played our 41st game so we got half the season left to go. A lot of work in front of us but you know at least we're in the thick of things you know and that's the start because you

know it hasn't always gone that way here So, you know, we want to make sure that we do everything possible to maintain at least You know, I always say if we can be playing meaningful games in March I think that's a big step for our young players, you know, the more Harder games you have to play down the stretch is only gonna make our younger players better. Is this team right now perhaps changing the way you feel about Columbus around trade deadline? Now I remember asking Daniel Briere this last year

with the Philadelphia Flyers and their rebuild, et cetera, and Dan took over and was eyes on the prize and rebuild, et cetera, but then the Flyers won a lot of games. Um, is this team making your decisions complicated or is it still full steam ahead with, uh, with decisions that have already been made in your head? No, because you know, and I've told that we've gotten a lot of calls from our free agents who going

back the last month and a half or so. And I've told them all that, you know, we're not willing to just get rid of players at this point. We were looking at, you know, if we can improve our team through hockey trades and all that, that's our job as a general manager to continue to look at that. But, you know, a guy like Provaloff, who I get a lot of calls about, you know,

he's one of our best defenders, if not our best defender. And, you know, there's an opportunity, potentially to sign him. And if we we can sign them that would be great and if not you know then come March you know we'll have to make a decision what we do but if you know I owe it to the players I owe it to the fans I owe it to the ownership that if we're in the hunt we got to try to continue at least to stay in the hunt and play it out see how it goes. You know it's funny too because a lot of fans I think would hear that and say well hold on a second on an expiring contract you have to get something for them. I've

always been of the mind a couple of things one to your point being in the hunt is valuable experience for your younger players how do you put a price tag on that and two I've you know Don I've always kind of admired GMs who have said I don't mind if a player walks away at the end of their contract. I look at cap space as a commodity. Give me that challenge of having $5 million to find another player that can plug in that spot. Like I've always admired GMs that look at that as, you know what? I'm a professional general manager. I can handle this. I can find someone to go into that place. How do you see cap space?

Well, cap space is always important. Obviously everything's happened to us this, this year we have lots of cap space and we're going to have tons of cap base going into next year. So you know, puts us in a good position, not only to retain our own players if we can, it's also come July 1st when the market becomes open, you know, we got to be smart about it. You know, it's, regardless of what the cap is, we're going to be able to spend money to make our team better. We won't try not to waste any money, that's for sure. But you know, we know we got some holes we got to plug you know

we got eight nine guys for sure that you like to keep moving forward with but you know if you can add some spots on your team through free agency or you know through through trades too at the draft there's always people looking for picks and you sometimes players need to, teams need to make a change or other teams that are in cap problems, or trying to clear up some cap space. So we're gonna be all eyes and ears and try to pay attention to everything happening where if we can make an addition to our team

and use some of our draft capital, we have lots of draft picks coming up in the next few years. So we wanna make our team better as soon as we can, but we've got to be careful of how we just don't waste money. You know, when Patrick Liny made his comments about Columbus, Zach Wawrinski was quick to to jump to the defense of the organization, the city, etc. He did what you would expect a captain to do. How did you react to those comments when you first heard them? You know, I didn't really have any reaction, you know, obviously not being here and

living through it through the summertime, you know, dealing with Patrick and his representation, you know, they're very professional. They told me that just it was time for them to move on. And, you know, I said, if we can do it, we'll obligate it and we're able to do on. And, you know, I said, if we can do it, we'll obligate it. And we're able to do it. So, you know, again, when you're not here, you know, Dean and I talked beginning of the year that let's not even talk about the past. Let's just talk about the future.

What we want to do, how we want to build a team, how we want to build a locker room, how we want to try to bring the guys together. You know, we want players that want to play for the Blue Jackets. And if you want to play for the Blue Jackets, we're to try to bring the guys together. You know, we want players that want to play for the blue jackets. And if you want to play for the blue jackets, we're going to have an opportunity for you and if not, you know, that we'll have to look at our options. Uh, what did you make of how your captain handled it?

Well, I think the players were not too pleased to read about the ones that were here last year. Um, so I think, you know, uh, what Zach did, it was Zach by choice. And, uh, you know, I, I'll support Zach and our team, uh, every opportunity I can. You know, it, uh, one final, um, remark on it when, when Laine said what he did and, and Lorenzky reacted the way that he did, my first thought was, and you know, hockey players, give them an issue to rally around and they'll do it. I kind of thought it in some ways, although it

was uncomfortable and insulting, I kind of looked at it as if you know Patrick Linney just gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a gift because now all the guys in that room have their backs up and they have an issue. And you know when you give hockey an issue, it's pretty easy to rally around. You think I'm on base or off base there? No, I think you're on. I think it happens in all the sports. You hear all the time about bulletin board material, you know, in all the professional sports,

hockey's no different than other sports. So certainly I think, you know, the players I know were aware of it and they were talking about it and they weren't happy about it. So however they use that as a motivation, you know, I'm going to support. One quick thought on the World Juniors and Luca Panelli, a thought on how the whole tournament went and your thoughts on Luca Panelli, Blue Jackets prospect.

Yeah, I was fortunate to be in Ottawa there and I thought Lucas did what he usually does. He plays hard, his forechecking was very good I thought in the face of the opposing team, especially their D. Canada ran across, so they just had a hard time scoring goals. And, you know, it's when you're up there and you're listening to everything going on, I try to put all that out of my mind and just watch the games and, you know, they had a good team. I mean, what we forget is this is a great tournament now. And, you know, years ago when Canada dominated, then US started to get better. Then, you know, obviously the Swedes and Finns and Czechs are both kept right up there.

So it's a great tournament. Anybody can win it any given year. And US was fortunate to win the gold medal this year. Let me close on this. A quick thought on Team USA with Johnny Goodrose jersey and locker space. Yeah, I'm not sure what the whole plan will be with Billy and their team there.

I've talked to Billy multiple times. You know, I think certainly they're looking to do something to honor them, just like we've done all this year, carrying his locker with us, his jersey, and the locker home and away for our guys. It's something to rally around. And what really gives us strength is Meredith's wife.

She said multiple times at the funeral and in our building, open night, Johnny wants you to go play hockey. I want you to go play hockey, go play hockey. So we've rallied around that for sure. As you can imagine, it's devastating to everybody, but particularly the family, and being able to have the wife support us like that has been a nice bright spot for us. That is beautiful. I was more referring to the World Junior team, the USA squad

with Johnny's jersey, and I just thought the whole thing was, listen, I'm a Canadian and I want Canada to win all these tournaments and all that, but I was really happy for that American team. And I loved watching the Goudreau name front and center there by the end. Yeah, no, I'm sorry. I jumped ahead on you. That's okay.

Yeah, he was such a big part of USA hockey, not just world juniors and world championships and so forth. So you'd be honored like that. Well-deserved and it's nice to see. This is great. I really appreciate the time. Congratulations on ending the streak. Congratulations on being in the wild card spots.

A continued success and we'll check back soon. Thanks so much for doing this with me. No, you're always welcome, Jeff. Look forward to it next time. Thank you. Thanks, Bob. There he is. Don Waddell is the general manager

of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I get out my head, lost all ambitions day to day Guess I can call it a ride I went to the dark man, he tried to give me a little medicine I'm like, nah man, that's fine I'm not against those methods but I knew It's me, myself and how this gon' be fixing my mind I turned on the record I turned on the music I do wanna break it

I turned on the music It's enough, they're bad, I bet you sometimes lose it Helping on the days that went wrong