Buffalo Sabres fire GM Jason Botterill

The Buffalo Sabres have fired GM Jason Botterill, along with Assistant GMs Randy Sexton and Steve Greely. Kevyn Adams, the Sabres' senior VP of business administration, was named general manager to replace Botterill.

The decision comes in the wake of the Sabres being one of seven teams not to qualify for the NHL's resumed playoffs. Last month, team president and co-owner Kim Pegula voiced her support for Botterill but the team ultimately decided to cut ties with him.

"He's our GM. Our plan is to continue with him," Pegula told the AP in May. "I realize maybe it's not popular with the fans, but we have to do the things that we feel are right. We have a little bit more information than maybe a fan does, some inner workings that we see some positives in."

The Sabres had struggled under Botterill's leadership, as the team failed to make the postseason during each of his three seasons as general manager. Last month, Sabres captain Jack Eichel publicly expressed his frustration with the dismal state of the team.

"Listen, I'm fed up with the losing and I'm fed up and I'm frustrated," Eichel told reporters. "You know, it's definitely not an easy pill to swallow right now. It's been a tough couple of months. It's been a tough five years with where things have gone. I'm a competitor. I want to win every time I'm on the ice. I want to win a Stanley Cup every time I start a season."