2025 Blue Jackets’ Summer Q&A: Don Waddell, Part 2 – The Hockey Writers –

In Part 1 of our 2025 Summer Q & A series, Blue Jackets’ GM Don Waddell talked about a bevy of topics including how he’s spent his summer, why he made some staffing changes and some reflections on the offseason and his first season with the team.

We now shift our focus to more on the ice and player specific discussion in Part 2. Between having to navigate a public trade request, some contract negotiations and the need to add to their team before the season, Waddell remains busy even though Training Camp doesn’t start for a month yet.

The big contract negotiation that every Blue Jackets’ fan is waiting for is the one involving Adam Fantilli. He’s now eligible to sign his second contract. That’s where we begin as we pick up on our conversation with Waddell.

Don Waddell, Part 2

THW: Let’s flip into more of the on-ice stuff. You have some potentially big negotiations coming up. Adam Fantilli is one of those. Has that process started yet?

Waddell: “We’ve had no talks about the contract. We actually are trying to meet face to face sometime in late August or early September. I’ve had a relationship with Pat (Brisson) for twenty some years, and we’ve always been able to get every deal done. We also both feel the same that we’d like to get together and do it in person. We’re hoping to schedule that here in the next two or three weeks.”

THW: Boone Jenner is somebody that just when you think of Blue Jackets’ hockey, he’s one of the first guys that come to mind. It’s been his entire career here. You’ve been able to get to know him. This is the last year of his current contract. What have those conversations been like so far?

Waddell: “I’ve talked to both his agent (Joseph Resnick) and Boone himself. I’ve talked a couple times with the agent. No contract again. It’s something that we said, let’s do our homework on both sides.

I think 100% Boone wants to stay here and retire as a Blue Jacket. We want him to stay here and retire a Blue Jacket. And now it’s just finding that fine line of which is always the part of, satisfy his needs and within the structure that we have. I can’t say there’s any reason why we wouldn’t be able to get a contract done.”

THW: Someone who has been a very integral…