GM Says Hurricanes Stiffed by Norris Trophy-Winning Defenseman

Don Waddell, who is now the current general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but was the former GM for the Carolina Hurricanes, confirmed in an interview this week that his Hurricanes’ team was shunned by Adam Fox.

Fox, a 2021 Norris Trophy winner and blueliner for the New York Rangers, had his rights traded from the Calgary Flames to the Hurricanes in June 2018. Waddell revealed on the Cam and Strick Podcast, when the Hurricanes made the deal, they were told Fox would “absolutely sign” an extension. As a result, they traded Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm to Calgary in the deal. It was a big return for the Flames, who knew they weren’t going to be able to sign Fox. But, because the Hurricanes had assurances from the agent that Fox would sign in Carolina, they made the move.

A couple of weeks later, Fox’s agent said the player had changed his mind and was only willing to sign with the New York Rangers. As a result, Fox was traded to New York in April 2019. The underwhelming return was two second-round picks.

Waddell said, “Yeah, you remember those things, that’s for sure.”

Waddell said it was tough to trade Fox, but he didn’t realize that the defenseman would become as dominant as he wound up being. Fox won the Norris trophy in 2021 and has been among the top 10 defensemen in the NHL ever since.

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