Confirmed with Link: Jarmo Kekäläinen hired as Senior Advisor

[Sabre the Win]

Lou would have absolutely taken them to a new low.

I don't see how, there is nothing you can subtract from this team to make them worse. The only way is up or to continue dragging along the bottom.

 

[Moncton man]

My first thought: good hire! My second thought: hope he brought some palm trees

 

[Reddawg]

Interesting choice. I'm curious if he winds up usurping the GM position within a year.

Have to imagine that’s a big part of his hiring, getting him up to speed organically within the organization so he’s ready to go if a change needs to be made during or after the season.

 

[TehDoak]

In looking at his history, a few things stick out:

Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones trade.

Johansen had a very public tiff with the blue jackets, including Davidson going on a rant about all the contract offers he made him. Basically management burned a bridge with him but still got a premium return from Nashville.

Josh Anderson for Max Domi and a 3rd

Another core altering trade.

Damien Severson for a 3rd

I think this trade is important because it highlights something Adams hasn't done. He gave up a pick to get 1st in line to sign Severson. And he got him to sign.


Overall, he was never shy about moving guys out when things weren't working. Doesn't seem like a guy who falls in love with his players. Perhaps to his detriment in a few cases. But, overall, he's been basically the opposite of Adams.

Hoping he has some strong feedback on the current roster.

 

[truthbluth]

Tentatively dipping my toes back into Sabres fandom, offseason dependent. I like this move, if only because one of Jarmo’s first hires back in 2013 after becoming GM was Bill Zito. I like it…tentatively. How the offseason unfolds, I think, will give a good indication about how much Jarmo is involved. He was not one to sit on his hands.

 

[LamaTabootTaboot]

I hope kev fails falls upwards forward as soon hard as possible. and stays home, never to return to the Sabres again.

FTFY

 

[joshjull]

I’m assuming Terry insisted on a senior advisor with GM or President experience. Maybe Adams got to pick the guy, but I have to think Terry likes having an experienced person who can step in now if Adams gets canned.

When has he cared about having an experienced manager around? His hiring history for both teams is the complete opposite, ridiculously so in a few cases.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Wasn’t Jarmo bad in Columbus? My memory is kinda hazy. But I don’t remember thinking much of his time there.

 

[Beerz]

Wasn’t Jarmo bad in Columbus? My memory is kinda hazy. But I don’t remember thinking much of his time there.

I think he did pretty well for such a small market with guys not wanting to play there.

 

[thewookie1]

Wasn’t Jarmo bad in Columbus? My memory is kinda hazy. But I don’t remember thinking much of his time there.

It got bad, but he made the playoffs 5/7 years to start. Then the whole Panarin, Duchene Bob thing happened and they were all but gutted overnight. Then things became rocky. He did however somehow convince Gaudreau to sign there

 

[SundherDome]

I don't see how, there is nothing you can subtract from this team to make them worse. The only way is up or to continue dragging along the bottom.

Could trade Dahlin or Tuch because Tuch wears a beard. Currently, it isn't as bad as people think it is.

 

[old kummelweck]

Interesting choice. I'm curious if he winds up usurping the GM position within a year.

He's right there for that option. This obsession with who he reports to is kind of inconsequential. He's done the job before.

Good move.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

You ever see the episode of the office where Micheal quits and they bring in Idris Elba to run the office and he's beside himself at how unprofessional and stupid everyone is?

I expect it to go a lot like that.

But afterwards we find out that Elba's character is just a big suck-up and not a good manager OH GOD...

Marino was on to something back in March

You know how if you apply for jobs through LinkedIn it asks you if you want to follow that company? Are we sure this isn't like that?

 

[TunaBoss44]

Wasn’t Jarmo bad in Columbus? My memory is kinda hazy. But I don’t remember thinking much of his time there.

Kekalainen's worst moves were his coaching hires. Babcock?

 

[Chainshot]

Wasn’t Jarmo bad in Columbus? My memory is kinda hazy. But I don’t remember thinking much of his time there.

Draft and trade wise good. UFA contracts and coaches bad.

 

[old kummelweck]

I’d bet anything this guy is GM by September 2026. Not sure why Terry is slow walking this thing. Just rip the bandaid off man.

Because firing the guy that runs everything would be more work for Pegula than letting the guy that runs everything onboard his replacement. Sabres were Kim's job, and with her sidelined, he probably does not have the time or motivation to take on the full disruption of a regime change or give project the attention needed

 

[ValJamesDuex]

 

[Mattilaus]

Good to see them doing something. I have lost a lot of interest and probably won't watch unless there are more major changes in management and on the roster, but I also don't wish for the team to continue sucking. I am just disinterested until more happens. It's an okay first step.

 

[Ness]

I’ve been wondering what the job description “senior advisor” even means for the Sabres. Do any other NHL teams have a senior advisor who reports to the GM?

 

[jc17]

I like the Jarmo Twitter thing because it indicates he might have been doing his homework.

My fear was that they were just going to take someone who has been paying no attention but hired because of their name (like Staal). Then the person hired would think they could step in and save the day based on surface level narratives, only to create bigger issues.

I guess that could still happen and Twitter follows don't change it, but my optimistic spin at this point.

 

[sabremike]

The new Hesburger stand at KBC gonna be lit!

 

[truthbluth]

I’ve been wondering what the job description “senior advisor” even means for the Sabres. Do any other NHL teams have a senior advisor who reports to the GM?

It’s Rick Dudley’s exact job.

 

[Fezzy126]

I’ve been wondering what the job description “senior advisor” even means for the Sabres. Do any other NHL teams have a senior advisor who reports to the GM?

I pointed this out earlier - All senior advisors report to either the GM or team president. I'm not aware of any that report to a team owner or a board of trustees.

That being said, I feel 100% confident that everyone that's complaining about Jarmo reporting to KA, would also be complaining that Terry was too meddling if the Jarmo reported to him.

 

[Chainshot]

The new Hesburger stand at KBC gonna be lit!

Already looks like Harbor Center.

 

[old kummelweck]

It’s Rick Dudley’s exact job.

I am pretty sure Scotty Bowman held that job for a few years with CHI.