Although the Columbus Blue Jackets currently occupy the top wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference — and have been surging as of late — general manager Don Waddell has a couple of tough decisions to make ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers continue to be active in the leadup to the NHL trade deadline. The Panthers acquired goaltender Vitek Vanecek on Wednesday from the San Jose Sharks for 25-year-old forward Patrick Giles, the teams announced.
When GM Don Waddell first took over the Blue Jackets, one of his main jobs out of the gate was to get to know the players on the team. While he knew most of them from afar while with the Carolina Hurricanes,
General manager Don Waddell has credited Mathieu Olivier with being a big part of the Blue Jackets exceeding expectations and contending for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Now signed through the 2030-31 season, Olivier has set career highs with 12-9-21, 113 PIM and 232 hits in 61 contests in 2024-25