from Luke DeCock of the News & Observer,

The general manager and team president doesn’t have a contract and interviewed for another job. Two assistant general managers and several scouts left and were not replaced. The goalie coach was allowed to leave and a new one hasn’t been hired with a month to go until training camp.

Over the course of a summer where the Carolina Hurricanes have done solid business to upgrade their roster, their front office has already seen a considerable exodus. If Don Waddell departs the Hurricanes -- the out-of-contract president and GM interviewed for the Minnesota Wild vacancy on Monday -- it would not only be unprecedented, but leave the Hurricanes rudderless at a moment when they desperately need to capitalize on the momentum of last spring’s playoff run....

“Even if he had a contract I would let him interview, so what’s the difference?” Dundon said Tuesday. “It’s not going to stop somebody from doing whatever’s better for them. If they’re going to pay somebody more money, I’m not going to stop them. I told him he’s got to do what’s best for him.”

Efforts to reach Waddell for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful.

For everything Dundon has done with the franchise, enabling everything from the “Bunch of Jerks” marketing to the turnaround on the ice that got as far as the conference finals, it’s curious how the general manager position has become, and remains, an unusual source of controversy and consternation.

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