The Carolina Hurricanes are looking for a new president and general manager after Don Waddell announced his resignation Friday.
Waddell joined the Hurricanes as president in 2014 and assumed the additional duties of general manager in 2018.
Waddell says he told team owner Tom Dundon on Friday that “now is the time for me to move to the next chapter of my career.
“I have loved my experiences in the Triangle over the past 10 years, and together with a strong team, on and off the ice, we have accomplished many great victories,” Waddell says in a statement released by the team. “I am grateful for the support I have received from so many loyal Caniacs. This organization is in strong, capable hands and well-positioned for the future,”
The Athletic reported that Waddell interviewed with the Columbus (Ohio) Blue Jackets on Thursday about its open general manager position and that the Hurricanes had already had conversations about a new general manager in anticipation of his departure.
Eric Tulsky has been named interim general manager, and a full search has begun for a permanent general manager. Darren Yorke will support Tulsky with managerial duties while continuing in his role as assistant general manager.
As president, Waddell oversaw team business operations. As the ninth general manager in franchise history, the Hurricanes won at least one round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs during each of his six seasons in charge of hockey operations. In comparison, the state’s other two major professional teams, the Carolina Panthers and the Charlotte Hornets, have not made the playoffs since 2017 and 2016, respectively.
The Hurricanes 2024 season ended with a 4-2 second-round playoff loss to the New York Rangers. The team beat the New York Islanders in the first round.
The Hurricanes also have sold out each of their last 67 games at PNC Arena, including regular season and postseason, marking the longest sellout streak in franchise history.
Waddell is a native of Detroit and previously served as general manager of the Atlanta Thrashers from 1998-2010 and won the Stanley Cup as an assistant general manager with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98.
Tulsky has spent 10 seasons with the Hurricanes, originally joining the organization as a consultant in 2014, and then becoming a hockey analyst in 2015. He was named manager of hockey analytics in 2017, before being promoted to vice president of hockey management and strategy in 2018.
Since being named assistant general manager in 2020, Tulsky has been involved in all player personnel decisions, overseen pro scouting and the team’s hockey information department, and assisted with player contract negotiations, salary cap compliance, and other hockey-related matters.
The Philadelphia native holds a B.A. in chemistry and physics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.
