Episode 49 - Columbus: Sailing to the Playoffs? With General Manager Don Waddell

No team in the NHL has captured more hearts this season than the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team has rallied around tragedy and are right in the mix for an Eastern Conference wild card berth. Team president and general manager Don Waddell joins Neil and Vic to talk about his team and the upcoming Stadium Series game with Detroit.

When Mikko Rantanen was acquired by the Carolina Hurricanes in late January, it was believe the 'Canes had finally secured the blue chip goal scorer their team had been missing. Now, after needing more time to think about a contract extension, is Rantanen about to be flipped again before the trade deadline?

Plenty of other news items and player notes in this episode as the kick towards the playoffs is fully underway.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:58] - In "Three Things You Need To Pay Attention To", the only team not to have a player originally selected for the Four Nations Faceoff bursts from the gate while some powerhouses struggle. And have you seen the ratings for the championship game of the tournament?

[07:12] - Don Waddell drops by to talk about the remarkable season his team is authorning while still healing from the passing of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau last summer.

[11:17] - Waddell discusses the how the club handled the tragedy, balancing the grieving process with preparing for a new season.

[14:38] - Zach Werenski's emergence as one of the top defenseman in the NHL this season.

[16:38] - With the trade deadline approaching, Waddell remains cautious as to how the Blue Jackets need to approach adding and moving assets.

[19:53] - The opportunity for the Blue Jackets to be on the big stage as they look forward to the Stadium Series Game at "The Shoe" with Detroit.

[22:49] - Having spent 10 years in Carolina, Waddell gives a quick take on the Hurricanes-Avalanche trade involving Mikko Rantanen, Martin Necas and Jack Drury.

[28:39] - Vic and Neil elaborate further on Rantanen and whether he will sign an extension or force the Hurricanes hand into a trade.

[31:17] - Two shoulder-to-head hits Sunday had very different responses from the on-ice officials.

[34:51] - The NHL has announced a de-centralized draft for late June in Los Angeles. Neil shares what he'd miss most about the in-person gathering of years past.

[40:05] - Player notes features significant injuries coming out of the Four Nations Faceoff.

[47:20] - Amidst the ferocity and intensity of NHL games, there is also a deep-rooted piece of sensitivity and compassion. Three recent examples show, whether big or small, hockey knows how to do the right thing.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBj1LV0-DMfBhcRPSJZLjA

X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

NHL Wraparound Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/

#NHLWraparound #ShortShifts #NYCentric #NeilSmith #VicMorren #NHL #AnaheimDucks # #BostonBruins #BuffaloSabres #CalgaryFlames #CarolinaHurricanes #ChicagoBlackhawks #ColoradoAvalanche #ColumbusBlueJackets #DallasStars #DetroitRedWings #EdmontonOilers #FloridaPanthers #LosAngelesKings #MinnesotaWild #MontrealCanadiens #NashvillePredators #NewJerseyDevils #NewYorkIslanders #NewYorkRangers #OttawaSenators #PhiladelphiaFlyers #PittsburghPenguins #StLouisBlues #SanJoseSharks #SeattleKraken #TampaBayLightning #TorontoMapleLeafs #UtahHockeyClub #VancouverCanucks #VegasGoldenKnights #WashingtonCapitals #WinnipegJets #AlexOvechkin #WayneGretzky #PresidentsTrophy #KrisKnoblauch #JuuseSaros #JordanBinnington #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #FourNationsFaceoff #ESPN #ABC #Sportsnet #DonWaddell #JohnnyGaudreau #MatthewGaudreau #MeredithGaudreau #DeanEvason #BooneJenner #SeanMonahan #ZachWerenski #KirillMarchenko #MathieuOlivier #AdamFantilli #PatrikLaine #NHLStadiumSeries #OhioStadium #TheShoe #TwentyOnePilots #MikkoRantanen #MartinNecas #TrippTracy #JackDrury #TedDrury #ChicoResch #TomDundon #JakeGuentzel #TrevorZegras #MichaelRasmussen #CaseyCizikas #LianBischel #2025NHLEntryDraft #LALivePeacockTheater #GaryBettman #QueenElizabethHotel #DenisPotvin #JoeMurphy #MatthewTkachuk #PaulMaurice #MikeSullivan #BradyTkachuk #QuinnHughes #ChrisKreider #MattGrzelcyk #MattRempe #ZdenoChara #JohnGibson #LucasDostal #PatVerbeek #HampusLindholm #DonSweeney #CharlieMcAvoy #DavidKrejci #PatriceBergeron #JordanEberle #NicoHischier #KevinLankinen #ThatcherDemko #PaulMorris #RedBarber #KevinShea #SkateforLAStrong #TeamUSA #GuyGaudreau #MikeEruzione #RobMcClanahan #MikeModano #JohnnyGaudreauJr #LucRobitaille