5 biggest mistakes Don Waddell made during his tenure as Carolina Hurricanes GM

Modified May 24, 2024 20:34 GMT

Don Waddell stepped down as the Carolina Hurricanes general manager on Friday afternoon, ending a six-year tenure in the position, having been hired on May 8, 2018.

Since 1997, Waddall has been an NHL executive in one capacity or another. He earned his first role as assistant general manager with the Detroit Red Wings. During his lengthy career in the league, he's also been a head coach, pro scout, president and executive vice president of hockey operations.

The Hurricanes hired him in 2014 to serve as president, and four years later, he took over as general manager. Carolina won three division titles during his tenure and made the playoffs every season.

5 biggest mistakes Don Waddell made during his tenure as Carolina Hurricanes GM

#5. Acquiring only Jesse Puljujarvi at the 2023 deadline

Jesse Puljujarvi, a former member of the Carolina Hurricanes

At the 2023 NHL trade deadline, with the Hurricanes fighting off the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, Waddell didn't do much to improve his team heading into the stretch run.

Although he did acquire Shayne Gostisbehere to boost the defense, his other significant acquisition was Jesse Puljujarvi, a former fourth-overall pick who has never found his groove in the NHL.

Ultimately, the Hurricanes were swept in the Eastern Conference Final by the Florida Panthers, and both players left in free agency. Gostisbehere totaled 13 points in 38 games (including the playoffs), while Puljujarvi had just three assists in 24 games.

#4. Trading Massimo Rizzo

Who is Massimo Rizzo? He's a 22-year-old prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers who currently plays for the University of Denver. Initially drafted by Waddell and the Hurricanes in the seventh round (216th overall) at the 2019 entry draft, he was traded away with a fifth-round pick (2025) for David Kase in 2023.

Rizzo is now a two-time NCAA champion, selected as an NCHC All-Rookie, earned back-to-back Second All-American Team selections, plus was a Hobey Baker Award nominee in 2024.

Meanwhile, Kase isn't even playing in North America anymore. He returned home to play in his native Czechia in 2021 after failing to crack the Flyers lineup (seven games) and scoring just 53 points in 110 games in the AHL, never playing in the Hurricanes system.

#3. Letting Nino Niederreiter walk in free agency

Nino Niederreiter was traded to the Hurricanes from the Minnesota Wild in January 2019. By then, he was only 26, but his resume included 112 goals and 231 points in 498 NHL games.

Moreover, Niederreiter was already a three-time 20-goal scorer who completed his fourth one while splitting time between the Wild and Hurricanes. Over the next four seasons, he collected two more 20-goal campaigns, finishing his time in Carolina with 69 goals and 137 points in 234 games.

After the 2021-22 season, Waddell started tinkering with his roster. He did not bring back Niederreiter, who chipped 12 points in 43 playoff games, allowing him to sign with the Nashville Predators as a free agent.

#2. Acquiring Tony DeAngelo twice

Tony DeAngelo had a decent run with the New York Rangers early in his career until details about locker room disruptions, including a fight, saw him out of the NHL in 2021.

However, he wasn't unemployed for long. Waddell gave him a chance in 2021-22, and DeAngelo didn't disappoint, scoring 51 points in 64 games. Although the experience lasted only five months, he was traded to the Flyers for a handful of draft picks.

During his time in Philadelphia, DeAngelo was suspended twice and released from the club in July 2023, when Waddell circled back and signed him to a one-year contract just nine days after his release.

Even though he had 11 points in 31 games, it became clear in 2024 that DeAngelo wasn't a fit for the win-now Hurricanes.

#1. Offer sheeting Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Carolina Hurricanes v New York Islanders

By the summer of 2021, there had only been nine offer sheets to restricted free agents in the salary cap era, which began in 2005. In 2019, the Montreal Canadiens made headlines by inking Sebastian Aho to a five-year deal worth $42.27 million.

Waddell matched the offer, and Aho stayed in Raleigh, becoming one of the best players in the lineup, recently signing an extension worth $78 million for the next eight seasons.

However, the story doesn't end there. Two summers later, Waddell returned the favor by signing Canadiens' Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet valued at $6.1 million for one season. Naturally, Montreal didn't counter for a player with just 62 points in 171 games.

The Hurricanes ended up with the former third overall pick (2018) while sacrificing a first-round and third-round pick in the 2022 entry draft. Ultimately, the Canadiens flipped the first-round pick to the San Jose Sharks (Filip Bystedt) and kept the third-round pick (Adam Engstrom).

After three seasons, Kotkaniemi has scored 42 goals and 99 points in 227 games, with 10 points in 40 playoff games, signing an eight-year extension worth $38.5 million in 2022.