In hiring Jarmo Kekalainen on Friday as a senior advisor to general manager Kevyn Adams, the Buffalo Sabres added a respected hockey lifer whose decades in the game can provide critical guidance to a team trying to end an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought.
When the Sabres must make a difficult decision, you can bet Kekalainen, who spent 11 years as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, will speak up and explain what he did in a similar situation and why it did or did not work.
Another experienced opinion in the hockey department goes a long way.
With Adams staying in his role following a disappointing 79-point season – remember, at his end-of-season news conference on April 19, he couldn’t say if he would remain GM – finding a senior advisor and beefing up the front office seemed like a logical move.
In the newly created position, Kekalainen, the first European-born GM in NHL history, will be involved in all areas of the hockey department and report to Adams.
“As we navigated the process of hiring for this role, it very quickly became apparent that Jarmo was an ideal candidate to augment our front office,” Adams said in a statement. “From his extensive history in scouting, his long tenure as an NHL general manager and his vast experience at the international and European pro levels, Jarmo has a remarkable resume and a long history of success in this league. I spoke with a number of candidates about this role and it’s clear to me that Jarmo is a perfect fit for our team. I couldn’t be more excited to add another significant piece to our front office as we continue the process of adding to our staff.”
Kekalainen, 58, took over the Blue Jackets in February 2013 after spending three seasons as GM of Jokerit in Liiga, a Finnish league. Before returning home, the Finn served as assistant GM and director of amateur scouting for the St. Louis Blues and director of player personnel for the Ottawa Senators.
In the late 1990s, he served as GM of HIFK, a Liiga team, while also scouting for the Senators.
He led the Blue Jackets to their four highest point totals in franchise history and to five of their six playoff appearances. In 2019, they upset the Tampa Bay Lightning, who tied an NHL record by winning 62 games, in the first round of the playoffs.
“Kevyn and I already had a strong working relationship from my time with the Blue Jackets and when we first started talking about this opportunity, it immediately felt like a natural fit,” Kekalainen said in a statement. “We are aligned in our philosophies and share the same core beliefs on how to build a winning team. I’m eager to help in any area I can and think I can offer a fresh perspective to supplement the staff already in place as we look to improve our roster this offseason.”
Kekalainen, a former winger, spent two seasons playing college hockey at Clarkson University in the late 1980s. He later played 55 NHL games for the Boston Bruins and Senators.
He’s the second notable addition to the Sabres’ front office this spring. Earlier this month, they hired former NHL star Eric Staal as a special assistant to Adams.
Joey Bosa’s calf injury, James Cook not reporting for voluntary minicamp, #Bills position battles to watch during the spring and @BillHoppeNHL‘s journey through the Florida swamps — have a listen.https://t.co/6DndyJUPu3
— Nick Sabato (@NickSabatoGNN) May 30, 2025