The Buffalo Sabres announced this morning that they’ve found the senior advisor to add to their front office staff. Former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen was their choice. He’ll bring that experience and credibility the organization was looking for with this hire.

The NHL Scouting Combine is set to begin next week, this is the perfect time for Kekalainen to join during a critical point in the offseason.

Front Office Experience

Kekalainen was the general manager of the Blue Jackets from 2013 to 2024. His NHL experience goes all the way back to 1995 as a European scout for the Ottawa Senators. He then spent eight years with the St. Louis Blues from 2002 to 2010 holding titles of director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager.

He returned to his homeland of Finland to be the general manager of Jokerit in Liiga for three years before jumping back to the NHL for the Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets made the playoffs five times in 11 seasons under the watch of Kekalainen. Including, the shocking first round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019.

I think the familiarity of working in a small market that is difficult to get players to want to sign is going to be good for the Sabres. While Kekalainen struggled to get players he drafted to commit to stay in Columbus, he was able to attract some big names for short stints with the organization.

Big Swings

The Sabres’ front office has a reputation of being hesitant or not taking those big swings to get the on-ice product into the postseason. They said they wanted someone with a different viewpoint and Kekalainen is going to bring that. He has a history of making big moves and not being afraid to go against public opinion.

I remember being at the 2016 NHL Draft and the audible gasp in the crowd when he selected Pierre-Luc Dubois over fellow countryman Jesse Puljujarvi third overall. A move that we later found out was the right call even though it didn’t work out long term in Columbus for Dubois.

He has made big trades acquiring Patrik Laine, Matt Duchene, and Artemi Panarin to name a few. Kekalainen convinced Johnny Gaudreau to sign with the Blue Jackets as a free agent a few years ago. There are big swings all over the place throughout his tenure. They all didn’t work, but he wasn’t afraid to take a chance.

The Sabres need someone with that mindset in their front office. A willingness to take a chance on something significant has been missing from this front office under Kevyn Adams.

It should also be worth noting that he helped groom Florida Panthers general manager, Bill Zito for his success.

As I said, it wasn’t always great with the Blue Jackets. There were misses with draft picks and moves that prevented his club from consistently reaching the playoffs. He also hired Mike Babcock as head coach in 2023 and he was forced to resign before the season even began. That was the beginning of the end for Kekalainen’s time in Columbus.

Overall, this is a solid hire by the Sabres. It brings experience and credibility to the organization. It also has someone in place that can step into the general manager role quickly if Adams once again is unable to put a good product on the ice.