Sabres Fire GM Kevyn Adams, Promote Executive

A New Hand on the Wheel

Jarmo Kekäläinen has been promoted to general manager after joining the organization as a senior advisor in May. The move signals a clear shift in philosophy. Kekäläinen brings decades of front-office experience, most notably his long tenure from 2013-2024 running the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he built competitive teams and navigated both rebuilds and playoff pushes.

Since arriving in Buffalo, Kekäläinen has been heavily involved behind the scenes, evaluating the roster, the development pipeline, and the organizational structure. His promotion suggests ownership wanted someone who already understood the problems rather than another fresh start that would require years to diagnose them.

Whether that experience translates to success in Buffalo is the looming question. But this time, the Sabres are betting on institutional knowledge instead of patience alone.

A Playoff Drought That Won’t End

The Sabres’ playoff drought has become one of the NHL’s most unforgiving constants. Buffalo has missed the postseason every year since 2011, often finishing near the bottom of the standings and frequently becoming one of the first teams mathematically eliminated.

A glance at recent seasons shows the pattern clearly: low win totals, negative goal differentials, and late-season irrelevance. Buffalo’s last season winning more than 50 percent of its games came in 2010–11, when it barely crossed that threshold with 43 wins.

Even more painful is the talent that passed through without results. The 2020–21 roster alone featured Taylor Hall, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Linus Ullmark and Dylan Cozens. None of it translated into sustained success, and many of those players went on to find success elsewhere, proving that personnel was never the issue.

That reality makes this timing especially strange. The Sabres had just won three straight games, offering a brief hint of momentum, but the organization chose clarity over comfort.

Ownership Speaks, Pressure Builds

Owner Terry Pegula addressed the decision in a statement announcing Kekäläinen’s promotion.

"Jarmo has distinguished himself over the last eight months, and his experience, professionalism, and drive speaks for itself. I am looking forward to him leading our organization to the next level," he wrote.

It’s a hopeful message, but one Buffalo fans have heard before — just with different names attached. Kekäläinen now inherits a franchise desperate not just for improvement, but for credibility.

The Sabres didn’t just fire a general manager. They fired another chapter of waiting. The only question left is whether this one finally leads somewhere different.