Blue Jackets Wise to Take Slow Approach on GM Hire – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

Since the end of the regular season, news on the ongoing Blue Jackets’ general-manager search has been few and far between. With John Davidson saying the search would not be done in the public forum, information would be very hard to come by.

But on Tuesday, a report from Dennis Bernstein seemed to ignite Blue Jackets’ fans on social media. He reported that former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin was being considered for the Blue Jackets’ opening. That was the first name reported as being linked to the job. Bergevin was hired in 2022 as a special assistant under Rob Blake with the Los Angeles Kings.

Then on Wednesday’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman indicated that he believes Bergevin talked with the Blue Jackets. However he doesn’t get the sense the team is close to making a decision citing the need to talk to potential candidates once their playoff season is over.

We reported the same thing on Tuesday night before 32 Thoughts came out. We just don’t get the sense the Blue Jackets are close to making a decision yet. It does not appear they’ve talked with everyone they want to talk to.

Slow Search Is Correct Approach

Seeing that there hasn’t been much reported on this search has frustrated a select few within the fan base. They interpret the slow search as not having urgency.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. A slow search is necessary given the magnitude of this hire for the Blue Jackets. Let’s dive into why that is.

First, the Blue Jackets absolutely must get this hire right. This hire will set the course for how the next several years and beyond look especially with a lot of young talent in the organization.

The Blue Jackets have made enough missteps of late with several of their decisions. Not getting this hire right could set them back decades.

Whether it’s signing good contracts or finding the right mix of players for the team, the new manager is going to have a lot on their plate to deal with. They’ll have to evaluate everything on the Blue Jackets top to bottom when they first start out.

The second reason why a slow search is necessary is because they must do their due diligence on every possible candidate. Since the team must wait until a particular team’s season is done, talking with them now is not an option.

Unless it’s absolutely the most-perfect candidate, there is no need to hire someone just for the sake of…