TSN: Pierre LeBrun said the Columbus Blue Jackets’ initial GM candidates list was 30-40 names deep. They are reaching out to candidates and no interviews have taken place yet. Experience is needed.
“Also, candidates have reached out directly to them, and some other front offices have forwarded some names that they feel the Blue Jackets should speak with. They may add other names to it when the regular season ends there next month, depending on what happens with some teams missing the playoffs. The most important criteria in this search – led by John Davidson and Mike Priest – experience, which doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a GM or a former GM, but you certainly will need NHL front office experience to get an interview when that process begins.”
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Sportsnet 590 The Fan: Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show on the Columbus Blue Jackets GM search.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Marek: “You mentioned Columbus a couple of seconds ago and what’s happening with the Columbus fans and Johnny Gaudreau and all that. And you mentioned this in your blog as well this week, and that is the hunt for a full-time manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Anything you can share with us. I know everyone’s got their pet favorites and the reason why this person would be the ideal candidate, but it seems as if you know, right now, John Davidson is happy, and the entire search committee in Columbus, happy to take their time with this one.
Friedman: “Well, I think I think what’s kind of happened here is, first of all, it was kind of funny in a way although, if you really think about it or make sense. It was kind of funny in a way to see John Davidson down there and realize, this is the first GM meeting he ever attended. If you look at his positions over the years, he’s been a broadcaster, he’s been a president of hockey ops. He’s never really been a general manager before. So that was unique.
But you know, I just asked him, I asked them you know, like, you know, where things kind of stood. Were they’re hiring a firm. I mean, you know, like, the thing about it when, when, when you make a change like this, the position like this opens, everything is quiet for 10 minutes, and then, and then everyone’s just comes at you.
What are you doing? What are you thinking? You know, I, like either they’re interested in the job or they know or they’re pushing someone else to the job. And then people want to run the search for you. There’s all these search firms.
So I think Columbus had to take a deep breath, and kind of put together their list, which I heard was quite huge. And then they had to decide if they were using a firm, which they’re not. They’re going to do the search themselves. I have no doubt they also met with the league just to talk about what they were thinking.
And now I think that we’re getting close to the end of the season. I just think they’re starting to consider who they’re going to talk to. And you know what, I, the one thing I definitely think is, they’re gonna go with someone with experience.
And you know what, like I think that means, it can mean slightly different things. I think it’s, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be someone who’s been a manager before, but it’s got to be someone who’s been around for a while in a front office decision-making capacity. So I think that’s kind of what they’re looking at here.
Definitely experience but, you know, what someone’s said to me, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been a manager before, but it just means someone who’s been around a long time, who’s, who’s been in that kind of environment.
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And you know, the one thing Davidson said is they’re getting close to really starting in earnest. Now, there are a lot of rumors going around out there about is this person the favorite, is that person the favorite. And the one thing that Davidson said to me is this is all way to premature. That was his stance. That’s what he told me.”