The Buffalo Sabres have made a significant addition to their front office, bringing in former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen as a senior adviser. The move signals a commitment from Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams and ownership to add veteran experience and strategic depth to the organization as it continues its push to end the NHL’s longest active playoff drought.
Kekäläinen, a seasoned executive with a reputation for sharp talent evaluation and bold decision-making, joins Buffalo after spending more than a decade at the helm of the Blue Jackets. Hired in 2013, he became the first European-born general manager in NHL history and helped guide Columbus through a period of growth and on-ice competitiveness. Under his leadership, the Blue Jackets made the playoffs five times and achieved the franchise’s first-ever postseason series win in 2019, sweeping the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning in a historic upset.
While Kekäläinen’s tenure in Columbus ended in early 2024, following back-to-back seasons outside the playoff picture and scrutiny over roster decisions and coaching hires, his overall impact on the franchise remains widely recognized. He was credited with drafting
