The Buffalo Sabres made their front-office shakeup official on Monday afternoon. The club will be moving forward with a change in the GM position.
The writing was on the wall for former Sabres GM Kevyn Adams. Amid the buzz of the Quinn Hughes trade on Friday, The Athletic quietly ran a piece on the Sabres’ looming shakeup. According to the piece by Fairburn and Graham, the Sabres had internal discussions about Adams’ future.
Those discussions came to fruition on Monday as the club has moved on from Adams. In his place, adviser Jarmo Kekalainen will be stepping into the GM role, insider Elliotte Friedman reported.
The isn’t precisely a shock as there had been plenty of forewarning. Friedman addressed the matter during Saturday Headlines on December 13. However, Friedman was adamant about the fact that the Sabres, or anyone, had not confirmed the information.
Now, the news has broken, and the Sabres are headed into a new era. Kekalainen was considered the heir apparent to Adams when the former Columbus Blue Jackets’ GM joined the team during the offseason.
Kekalainen served as the Blue Jackets’ GM for over a decade. During his tenure, Kekalainen made several big-name acquisitions. However, the club was unable to make a deep playoff run during this time.
Now, the Finnish executive will get another kick at the can with the Sabres. The club will be looking to turn things around and get out of the Atlantic Division cellar.
Sabres Looking to Avoid Mistakes from Hiring Adams
One of the biggest criticisms of hiring Adams was his lack of experience as an NHL executive. But as Fairburn and Graham pointed out, Adams’ relationship with owner Terry Pegula helped cement his role with the Sabres.
Fast-forward five years, and the Sabres are really no better than they were in 2020. The club has not been close to a playoff spot. Several key defections have hampered the team’s growth. Most notably, JJ Peterka’s trade request this past summer put the club in a bad spot.
That’s something the Sabres want to avoid this time around. In Kekalainen, the Sabres have an experienced executive who knows what it takes to be successful in the NHL.
It remains unclear what marching orders Kekalainen may have upon taking his new role in Buffalo.
Buffalo’s Swings and Misses Could Have Influenced Decision
Adams came under fire in the media following confirmation that the team had been in pursuit of Quinn Hughes. However, the Sabres were unable to match the offer the Minnesota Wild made for the Norris Trophy winner.
Similarly, chatter had sprung up about the Sabres looking to move a goalie. The team had reportedly spoken to the Edmonton Oilers about Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. However, nothing came of those talks.
It’s likely that Kekalainen will attempt to get some business under his belt. Beyond the crowded goaltending situation, the Sabres need more scoring and depth across the board. So, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see Kekalainen try to make up for lost time with some crucial deals in the coming weeks.
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