Waddell Guarantees Marchenko Opens Season as a Blue Jacket

Columbus GM Don Waddell isn't leaving any room for interpretation - Sergei Marchenko will be on the roster when the puck drops this fall. This kind of public commitment from a front office executive is either a vote of confidence in the young player's development or a strategic message to the rest of the league about the organization's direction. Waddell's willingness to make this guarantee suggests he sees something in Marchenko that justifies the faith, even as other teams circle.