BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� Hearing the familiar sounds of clacking sticks and pucks banging off the boards and glass while watching Columbus Blue Jackets prospects from the stands of a cold rink on a warm late-summer afternoon was not enough to wash away for Don Waddell on Saturday.
That, the Blue Jackets' general manager acknowledged, will take more time than anyone can guess 鈥� weeks, months, perhaps an entire season and beyond.
What mattered is how spending the weekend attending the Sabres Prospects Challenge represented a start to what Waddell called among the first steps in refocusing on hockey and the future in the aftermath of the , who were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles on Aug 29.
鈥淲e got to play hockey," Waddell said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to forget about Johnny and his family, the Gaudreau family.鈥�
He then reflected on the speech Johnny Gaudreau鈥檚 wife, , by urging those in mourning to move forward as she will while focusing on raising their children.
鈥淓verybody knows that Johnny wants them to play hockey,鈥� Waddell said. 鈥淎nd everybody鈥檚 rallying around that.鈥�
The resumption of hockey in Columbus began last week, when most Blue Jackets players returned to their facility to be together and lean on each other at the urging of Waddell and team captain Boone Jenner. And it will continue on Thursday, when the team opens training camp, exactly three weeks since the Gaudreaus were killed.
鈥淭ragic. Senseless. But now we got to focus on trying to get our team ready to play hockey this year,鈥� Waddell said. 鈥淲e all mourn and heal differently, but I think as a team being together like that is going to be critical for them to get moving forward.鈥�
Waddell was general manager of the then-Atlanta Thrashers in 2003 when Dany Heatley lost control of his car and struck a wall, with the crash killing passenger and teammate Dan Snyder. In 2021, Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died during a July Fourth fireworks accident.
Waddell placed the emphasis on himself and coach Dean Evason 鈥� both newcomers to Columbus this offseason 鈥� to guide the team through what will be an emotional season.
鈥淣ow, do I think there鈥檚 going to be some dark days? I won鈥檛 be surprised,鈥� Waddell said.
Reminders of the Gaudreaus鈥� deaths remain apparent, and reflected in Buffalo on Friday night. A moment of silence was held in tribute to the brothers before the opening faceoff of a game between the Blue Jackets and Sabres.
Afterward, Columbus prospect Gavin Brindley recalled the times he spent with Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus and as teammates representing the United States at the world hockey championships in the Czech Republic in May.
鈥淗e was one of the biggest mentors for me at the world championships,鈥� Brindley said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 tell you how many times we hung out with Meredith, pictures on my phone. It鈥檚 just so hard to look back and see that kind of stuff.鈥�
The NHL and NHL Players' Association are providing the Blue Jackets help in the form of grief counseling, crowd security at vigils and addressing hockey issues, such as potentially altering the league鈥檚 salary cap rules to provide Columbus relief from having to reach the NHL minimum payroll because of the void left by Gaudreau鈥檚 contract.
鈥淭he Blue Jackets, I don鈥檛 think anybody鈥檚 focused from an organizational standpoint, from a hockey standpoint as to what comes next, because I think everybody鈥檚 still in shock,鈥� NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told The Associated Press last week. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anybody鈥檚 focused right now other than on the grieving part, which is understandable.鈥�
Much of the burden has fallen to Waddell, who has been in discussions with the NHL and the NHLPA and dealing with outreach programs with the Blue Jackets' partner OhioHealth, while also overseeing preparations for training camp and gauging his prospects in Buffalo.
There鈥檚 also his roster to attend to, which he said has two openings at forward, one involving Justin Danforth, who may miss the start of the season because of a wrist injury. Waddell didn鈥檛 have to mention the second opening.
Tiring and emotional as it鈥檚 been, Waddell found comfort being in his element, a rink, and looking ahead to the start of training camp.
鈥淭he guys are in really good shape. We鈥檝e done a lot of testing already and they鈥檙e eager to get going,鈥� Waddell said. 鈥淲e have a reason to play for. And we鈥檒l make the best of it.鈥�
The Blue Jackets later Sunday signed veteran winger James van Riemsdyk to a one-year contract worth $900,000.
鈥淛ames van Riemsdyk has been a very consistent, productive player throughout his career,鈥� Waddell said. 鈥淏ringing him to Columbus will not only provide depth to our group up front, but also valuable leadership and another veteran presence in our dressing room.鈥�
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno in New York contributed to this report.
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AP NHL:
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
