Sabres looking to add front office veteran

Earlier this week, the Sabres added long-time NHL veteran Eric Staal to their front office as a special advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.  However, it appears they have some other additions in mind as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that they have been looking to speak to some veteran executives in an effort to shore up or outright reshape their front office.

Seravalli adds that a few different options have been considered.  One would see someone hired above Adams while also adding another executive beneath him in the pecking order.  Another would simply being to hire a senior executive while a third option would see Adams elevated to a president role and a new general manager being hired.

Adams has been at the helm in Buffalo for the past five seasons and the team has seen its postseason drought extend to 14 straight seasons, tying the NFL’s New York Jets for the longest active playoff drought in major North American pro sports.  These past five seasons have also been Adams’ only front office experience so it’s certainly understandable that the team would look to add some experience on that front.

On the managerial side, the Sabres have three people working under Adams, associate GM Jason Karmanos and assistant GMs Jerry Forton and Mark Jakubowski.  Of the three, Karmanos is the only one who has worked for an NHL franchise other than Buffalo and Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News relays that Karmanos may not return to the club next season.  Forton has been with the team for the past 11 seasons and Jakubowski 12, each serving in various roles along the way.

It appears that the Sabres are at least considering going with a senior advisor, at a minimum.  David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period notes (Twitter link) that the club approached long-time NHL GMs Ken Holland and Lou Lamoriello about such a role but both indicated they weren’t interested in an advisory position.  Whether that’s enough to make the team shift approaches and offer up a more prominent role remains to be seen but it certainly looks like Staal won’t be the only front office addition over the coming weeks and months.