Columbus Managerial Seat:Geoff Molson Says No As Blue Jackets Settles For…
Columbus hasn’t been that open when it comes to sharing details regarding their GM search. However, the Blue Jackets prefer to have an individual who has past experience in hockey management, according to interim manager John Davidson.
Jarmo Kekalainen was the GM of the Blue Jackets for 11 years before his firing in February. Columbus is clearly prioritizing experience to guide this new generation of Blue Jackets players. Several names have surfaced as being potential candidates such as Mark Hunter, Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche.
Ken Holland, who is the current GM for the Edmonton Oilers, has surfaced as a major candidate to potentially receive the job according to reports. Andy Strickland, a reporter for the St. Louis Blues, suggests that Holland could very well end up being the next GM for the Blue Jackets once the Oilers’ playoff run is over.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman brought up similar points about the Blue Jackets on May 15th’s 32 Thoughts: The Podcast episode. There’s a good chance that the Blue Jackets are waiting on teams so they could interview specific candidates that interest them.
In this case, the Blue Jackets would be waiting for Edmonton’s playoff run to end before potentially speaking with Holland.
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could speak to a candidate that they like. There isn’t an exact date for when the Blue Jackets want to name a GM, but it’s assumed by many insiders that they would like to have a GM in place by the 2024 NHL Draft.