Jarmo Kekalainen has been named general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, replacing Kevyn Adams, who was fired Monday.
“It is a great honor to be named general manager of the Buffalo Sabres,” Kekalainen said. “I would like to extend my thanks to (owners) Terry and Kim Pegula for this opportunity. I am humbled to be the steward of this team and look forward to experiencing the passion that Sabres fans bring to every game.”
Kekalainen had been hired as a Sabres senior adviser May 30.
“I have named Jarmo Kekalainen as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres and he will be overseeing hockey operations, effective immediately,” Terry Pegula said. “The hiring of Jarmo was the result of an extensive search process in which Jarmo stood out as our top choice for the senior advisor position. Jarmo has distinguished himself over the last eight months, and his experience, professionalism, and drive speaks for itself. I am looking forward to him leading our organization to the next level.”
Kekalainen previously was general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013-24, becoming the first Europe-born GM in NHL history.
During his tenure, Columbus reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times, set a Blue Jackets record with 50 wins and 108 points in 2016-17, and won the organization’s first playoff series win with a first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019.
Adams was in his sixth season as Sabres GM. They are 14-14-4 and eighth in the Atlantic Division. Buffalo has not qualified for the playoffs since 2011.
“I would like to thank Kevyn for his dedication and loyalty to the Buffalo Sabres,” Terry Pegula said. “He has been a reliable presence, and we are appreciative of his enduring care and commitment. I personally wish him and his entire family all the best.
“We are not where we need to be as an organization, and we are moving forward with new leadership within our hockey operations department. We are dedicated to building an organization that is competitive year after year, and we have fallen short of that expectation.”
The Sabres next play against the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+).
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