2025 Blue Jackets’ Summer Q&A: Don Waddell, Part 1 – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

This summer is going both really slow and really fast at the same time. It depends how you choose to view things.

On one hand, it’s already the middle of August. Where did this summer truly go? On the other hand, it’s been a long while since the Columbus Blue Jackets had a game. We’re coming up on four months since.

Fans have reached the point that they’re ready for fall weather and hockey season. We hear you. That’s why we’re bringing you another edition of our Summer Q&A series.

From now until training camp, we will have a few different Q&A’s for you to help you get ready for the 2025-26 season. Our first interview is with GM and President of Hockey Operations Don Waddell.

I got to spend 30 minutes in Waddell’s office inside Nationwide Arena talking about all sorts of topics over some Tim Horton’s coffee. This will be split into two parts given how much we discussed.

In Part 1, we focused on Waddell’s first season in Columbus, getting to know his staff and some of the changes made, how the offseason went and if there will be changes to their approach in the future.

We also talked about the continuing impact of the Gaudreau brothers and if some things to honor them are coming down the road. We also mixed in some fun questions around the summer and what Waddell does away from the rink if he gets the chance. We’ll spend Part 2 with more on the ice happenings including the latest on Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli’s next contract and much more.

Here is Part 1 of our conversation with Waddell. It has been lightly cleaned up for clarity and conversation.

Don Waddell Part 1

THW: Don, just first and foremost, have you been able to enjoy any semblance of a summer and how has it been for you?

Waddell: “Yeah. It’s been good. I’ve got a summer place three hours away (in Michigan), so I’ve gotten up there a few weekends. But we had a lot to get done this summer, not just player-wise, but staffing wise with a lot of people. That doesn’t happen overnight. You got to do your homework on everybody.

As I said last year when I did the coaching (search), what I like to do is put all names for particular jobs and do research on everybody and talk to anybody I can. Because once you start interviewing, I want the interview process only be a week or ten days.

And I handled the equipment manager, the strength coach. Everybody we hired, we hired the same way. Everybody kept waiting for things to…