en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Columbus Blue Jackets News https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/news 24, 7:00 pm EST Rocket Arena Cleveland, OH TV: Rock Sports (Tony Brown, Brad Thiessen, Jock Callander) Radio: SportsRadio 99.1/Cleveland, 1390 AM… Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:19:35 GMT @monstershockey https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56368629 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56368629 false false Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell will be busy early this summer, with 13 pending unrestricted free agents to make decisions on. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:13:41 GMT Curtis Deem https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367889 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367889 false false Former Blue Jackets forward Matt Duchene put together a strong performance for the Stars in Game 3 against the Wild. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:57:34 GMT Michael DeRosa https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367717 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367717 false false The Calgary Flames drafted Monahan as the 6th overall pick in 2013. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:42:06 GMT Jason Newland https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367037 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56367037 false false As the 2025-26 season progressed, more and more pending unrestricted free agents signed contract extensions to remain with their current teams. A free agent market that was once slated to feature big names such as Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov has thinned out to a considerable degree, simultaneously hurting teams with big spending plans and […] Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:29:53 GMT Ethan Hetu https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56363103 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56363103 false false The Cleveland Monsters and Syracuse Crunch will drop the puck on the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs with Game 1 of the North Division Semifinals presented by… Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:10:13 GMT @monstershockey https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56359723 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56359723 false false The Columbus Blue Jackets’ special teams struggled tonight, and it’s clear this is a major hurdle in ending their playoff drought. If Columbus wants to get b... Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:53:57 GMT Locked On Blue Jackets https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56357895 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56357895 false false Marchment was undrafted out of Uxbridge, Ontario. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:04:25 GMT Jason Newland https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56356350 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56356350 false false Jody Shelley has had one of the more interesting careers of any NHL player. His first game established what was to come in what turned into a 627-game NHL career… Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:29:41 GMT Mark Scheig https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56355881 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56355881 false false Last week Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness delivered a scathing post-game tirade following the end of their disappointing season. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:07:05 GMT Anjum Rajonno https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56354813 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56354813 false false It was a tough Blue Jackets season all around and there's no reason to brag about these (mostly) failed bold predictions. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:19:02 GMT Aaron Portzline https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56353741 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56353741 true false As the offseason is underway, the have begun their search for a new general manager. Following , the Canucks are weighing their options. Will they go for an experienced “old-head” GM, or will they hire a newer face on the block? Let’s discuss some potential candidates that the Canucks might take a look at. NHL Rumours and A Familiar Face Could Be the Front-Runners Rumour: Based on a report from The Athletic, the Vancouver Canucks have requested to speak with former Buffalo Sabres general manager . On top of that, the Canucks are likely to be talking to other, experienced candidates, according to Donnie and Dhali. Analysis: Based on how Canucks president has hired his staff in the past, including Allvin, he may look for someone he knows. That could range from someone he has worked with, or someone who played for him when he was the GM on another team. Image: © Alex Cave/ZUMA Press Wire Many Candidates Linked to Rutherford is the candidate with the most knowledge about the Canucks, as he is the current GM of the Abbotsford Canucks. He led Abbotsford to an AHL Calder Cup championship in 2025 and worked with the current prospects in the organization. However, if he were indeed the top candidate, he could already have been hired. Of course, the Canucks may be trying to do a more comprehensive search and do their due diligence first. On Tuesday, reported that the Canucks had requested permission to speak with former Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams. The Sabres reportedly also granted permission for the Canucks to do so. Adams spent five seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes as a player, under, guess who, Jim Rutherford. Despite the inability of the Sabres to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs under Adams, he was responsible for drafting players like and , as well as signing to a long-term extension. Continuing on the Sabres’ front, Sam Ventura could be another candidate. He was the director of analytics under Rutherford in Pittsburgh, so the connection is there. Furthermore, Rutherford has been a firm believer in using analytics to the team’s advantage. Ryan Bowness is another candidate that Rutherford is familiar with. The son of current Blue Jackets head coach , he worked for Rutherford as a pro scout in 2017 and was promoted to director of pro scouting in 2019. He is currently the assistant general manager of the New York Islanders. Previously, he was also the assistant general manager for the Ottawa Senators. Could An Experienced GM Be One the Canucks Choose? Just like with head coaches, general managers can also be hired in a “carousel” manner, leading to a league with the same names circling around, as part of these or any NHL Rumours. Take the relatively recent hires of (Blue Jackets) and (Kings), for example. A lot of these former GMs could be desperate for work, fired and . Other names include Peter Chiarelli, , or . As the Canucks have a history of hiring rookie GMs, such as , , and Patrik Allvin, one of these names could be the choice. One thing worthy of note is how long Jim Rutherford will stick around. Based on his press conference, he may leave after he believes the team is in good hands. Considering that, the next general manager may also end up taking on the president’s role as well. For that to happen, the organization may believe that experience is the greatest asset. "You're going to hear names like Peter Chiarelli and Tom Fitzgerald, guys who are desperate for a job.." shared some possible names that could end up on the list for the next GM. — Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) Canucks Could Also Think Outside the Box Another direction the team could take is agents, who represent players and negotiate contracts on a regular basis. Kent Hughes and Bill Zito are the strongest examples of former agents who have done an excellent job with their current teams. The one agent who has had extensive dealings with the Canucks is Dan Milstein, who currently represents four players on the current Canucks roster. He also facilitated the trades of former Canucks and . Someone like Milstein is a long shot to be the next GM, given a recent that ranked the Canucks as the worst-run organization in the NHL. Still, given the knowledge agents possess and their skill sets, it is a valid direction for the Canucks to pursue. As the search for a new GM continues, the Canucks understand that this decision is critical. The right voice to lead the team through a rebuild could go a long way toward the future success of the team. Main Photo: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:38:54 GMT Marcus Yu https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56353423 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56353423 false false Former Columbus Blue Jackets, Ohio State Buckeyes and others with Columbus ties are competing in NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here's a list. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:02:32 GMT Brian Hedger https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56349360 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56349360 false false The Blue Jackets have a lot on their plate, but the return of Rick Bowness was a good start to summer as the team looks to take the next step Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:15:58 GMT Jeff Svoboda https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56355679 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/articles/56355679 false false