BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Sabres have hired former longtime Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor, the team said Friday.
Kekalainen served as the general manager of the Blue Jackets from 2013 until 2024. In his time in Columbus the team made the playoffs five times, including four seasons in a row between 2017 and 2020. Before being in the GM chair in Columbus, he spent time in the front office for both the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues, where he served as assistant general manager.
He will work directly under Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and will “be involved in all areas of the hockey department,” the team said.
“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 Friday news release. “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.”
This is the second add that the Sabres have made to the front office this off-season. Veteran NHLer Eric Staal was added as a special assistant to the general manager earlier in May.
“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 news release. “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.”
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.