The summer of contracts continues in Raleigh, North Carolina. Days after the organization announced that beloved coach Rod Brind’Amour and his coaching staff would be re-signed to a five-year deal, Carolina general manager and hockey operations president Don Waddell resigned from his position, effective this morning, May 24, 2024.
Eric Tulsky will be the organization’s interim general manager as a full search is conducted. Tulsky has been the assistant general manager since 2020 and has been a major factor in the organization’s hockey-related business, including salary cap and contract decisions. Tulsky has been with the organization since 2014 as a consultant. Both national hockey media and local sports reporters expect Tulsky to be a front-runner for Carolina’s general manager job.
Waddell became the franchise’s ninth general manager in 2018. Before his hiring, he had been with the Hurricanes organization since 2014. Waddell and Brind’Amour have both been credited as turning the franchise around from a playoff drought, fan disillusionment, financial crisis, and possible relocation. During Waddell’s tenure as GM, the organization has sold out their last sixty-seven home regular and postseason games. This streak is the longest in both Hartford and Carolina franchise history. Waddell’s tenure also marked the playoff drought snapped. Since 2019, the Carolina Hurricanes have made a Stanley Cup playoff run.
Waddell was known to fans for his ruthlessness, quotability (such as the now-famous “big kahunas” about Seth Jarvis playing the 2023-2024 NHL season injured and “we like our group” at the yearly trade deadline), and mock turtlenecks. For those in the hockey world, Waddell was known for his business decisions and strategic decisions surrounding hockey deals.
Elliotte Friedman posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) yesterday afternoon that Waddell had interviewed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus is the only NHL team with an open GM vacancy, and it is rumored that Waddell will begin the next stage of his career in Columbus.
