The Blue Jackets have named Rick Nash their director of hockey operations, general manager Don Waddell announced Friday. They’ve also brought in former Hurricanes manager of hockey operations Zach Abdou in the same role and named Basil McRae their director of professional scouting.
For the 40-year-old Nash, it’s another big step toward becoming an NHL GM. Columbus’ all-time leader in every offensive category has been part of their front office since announcing his retirement in 2019. He first joined as a special assistant to former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen, serving in that role through 2020-21 before being promoted to their director of player development.
In addition to his Jackets duties, Nash has gotten his feet wet internationally. He was an assistant GM for Canada at the 2022 World Championship and returned as GM this year, but the team failed to medal for the first time since 2018 despite going undefeated in the group stage.
Nash will largely replace McRae’s duties. McRae, 63, has been with the Blue Jackets on and off since 2013 as an amateur scout and director of player personnel. He had been an assistant GM since Nash joined the front office for the 2019-20 season. He’ll now move back fully to the scouting department as the top name on that pyramid.
Abdou, 27, worked under Waddell for the latter’s final three seasons as GM of the Hurricanes, serving as their hockey operations coordinator for two years before a promotion to manager for 2023-24. He follows his boss to Columbus after Waddell signed a multi-year deal to become the Jackets’ GM, alternate governor, and president of hockey operations back in May.
The Jackets are getting new buttons and new stitchings. They are about to turn the corner and become a competitive franchise. Leadership starts at the top and Columbus is making the right moves. Watch out all you Metropolitan teams. Probably be a couple of years to right the ship, but beware.
It’s too bad ownership will ruin all of that…
Columbus has an interesting future ahead of them. It’s hard to see the team being competitive with their present roster, but being under the cap floor means they can be paid off to take on some bad contracts. Do we have precedent for that tactic leading to a swift turnaround for a team?
Everybody thinks we are just gonna bend over and take one for the league. There’s a reason we are below the cap floor. A person died. Needlessly… Stop being dillholes thinking we will just take whatever is thrown at us and be grateful.
We don’t want any of that crap y’all have been pedaling. All these contracts beyond this year aren’t getting moved here.
Not sure where the hostility is coming from. I’m a Jackets fan too. The cap space is there – are we gonna use it to obtain futures? Or are we gonna wait and trade for a good player from a team that’s not gonna make the playoffs?
Enlighten me please….What is the responsibility/control demarcation line between “Director of” and “Manager of” vs Asst.Director of and is this (having two?) just having the next “Director” in-house for a planned Short stay before Nash’s (already planned) next step?