Sabres announce Jarmo Kekalainen Hired as Senior Advisor

[...]

54 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

There is always the possibility that Kekäläinen resigns or is fired because Pegula doesn't feel "heard" by him.

It will be the final nail in the coffin for the Sabres' front office if it plays out like this. No one will want to get near that stink afterward.

The rest of the hockey world understands that KA should not be GM of this team. KA has no leverage and if anything happens, it will be KA vacating the GM position. I would rather this be a move by Pegula to shake up the front office in a controlled manner.

Edited Friday at 06:23 PM by ...

[PromoTheRobot]

The bigger question: How long before we are calling for Kekäläinen's head?

3 minutes ago, ... said:

It will be the final nail in the coffin for the Sabres' front office if it plays out like this. No one will want to get near that stink afterward.

The rest of the hockey world understands that KA should not be GM of this team. KA has no leverage and if anything happens, it will be KA vacating the GM position. I would rather this be a move by Pegula to shake up the front office in a controlled manner.

 

[The Jokeman]

13 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The bigger question: How long before we are calling for Kekäläinen's head?

 

If it looks like we're going to have another bottom 10 season next season my guess is as early as next March unless we sacrifice Adams and make Kek our new GM.

[Gatorman0519]

15 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

If it looks like we're going to have another bottom 10 season next season my guess is as early as next March unless we sacrifice Adams and make Kek our new GM.

You beat me to it. He will be our next gm. 

Edited Friday at 06:57 PM by Gatorman0519

[Archie Lee]

Sorry to be the Debbie Downer, but there are a couple of reasons for why this really doesn't move the needle for me.

First, Kevyn Adams is still the GM. If Adams were fired (or promoted) and Kekalainen was being brought in as the new GM or as an advisor to Karmanos, I would be somewhat happy; that would be almost solely from the perspective of: this can't be worse than Adams. As is, this amounts to Adams getting a chance at a reset. In the shoot-out era (no more ties), Pierre Dorian is the only GM to have a job longer than Adams while producing a worse points %.  Adams is bad at being a GM and bringing in someone to advise him in year 6, is not a solution. I'm not excited about Adams potentially getting a mulligan.

Second, Kekalainen had had, at best, mediocre results in his time as a GM. He has a .471 winning %.  He missed the playoffs his last 4 years in Columbus. He recently hired Mike Babcock; not the 2015 version of Mike Babcock, but the 2023 version, who everyone knew was a world-class wanker. As an advisor, it may not be the worst thing (aside from who he is advising). As a First-In-Line-To-The GM-Position, it's at best a big meh for me. There will be those who see Kekalainen as GM as a big step up (he did make the playoffs 5 of 10 seasons in Columbus); but I think every time you hire a GM or HC you should be trying for a home-run. Each new hire in those positions is a chance to find The Guy who defines your franchise for years. Kekalainen is almost certainly not going to be our Jim Nill, or Bill Zito, or Doug Armstrong.

So, as Senior Advisor? Sure, but the big issue remains who he will be advising. And as a potential future GM? I guess he probably can't be worse. 

Edited Friday at 07:00 PM by Archie Lee

[shrader]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The bigger question: How long before we are calling for Kekäläinen's head?

 

He has the cushiest job on the face of the earth. If they fail, it’s Adams fault. Any success and he gets credit. 

Edited yesterday at 12:07 AM by shrader

[Demoted]

This is a big nothing since KA and TP are still in charge.

[JohnC]

I'm encouraged by this announcement. Its fresh eyes from an experienced former executive brought into the stale mix. 

An interesting question is how does this change the Karmonos role? 

 

[Night Train]

Welcome.

Hope he helps. Criticizing him now is just an exercise in complaining.

[JohnC]

38 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Sorry to be the Debbie Downer, but there are a couple of reasons for why this really doesn't move the needle for me.

First, Kevyn Adams is still the GM. If Adams were fired (or promoted) and Kekalainen was being brought in as the new GM or as an advisor to Karmanos, I would be somewhat happy; that would be almost solely from the perspective of: this can't be worse than Adams. As is, this amounts to Adams getting a chance at a reset. In the shoot-out era (no more ties), Pierre Dorian is the only GM to have a job longer than Adams while producing a worse points %.  Adams is bad at being a GM and bringing in someone to advise him in year 6, is not a solution. I'm not excited about Adams potentially getting a mulligan.

Second, Kekalainen had had, at best, mediocre results in his time as a GM. He has a .471 winning %.  He missed the playoffs his last 4 years in Columbus. He recently hired Mike Babcock; not the 2015 version of Mike Babcock, but the 2023 version, who everyone knew was a world-class wanker. As an advisor, it may not be the worst thing (aside from who he is advising). As a First-In-Line-To-The GM-Position, it's at best a big meh for me. There will be those who see Kekalainen as GM as a big step up (he did make the playoffs 5 of 10 seasons in Columbus); but I think every time you hire a GM or HC you should be trying for a home-run. Each new hire in those positions is a chance to find The Guy who defines your franchise for years. Kekalainen is almost certainly not going to be our Jim Nill, or Bill Zito, or Doug Armstrong.

So, as Senior Advisor? Sure, but the big issue remains who he will be advising. And as a potential future GM? I guess he probably can't be worse. 

It is very likely that KA is going to be our GM. Few people would want that to be the case. If that's the case, then the next issue is where do we go from here. My impression is that adding Keka is an indication that moves will be made to reshuffle the roster. I would rather have Keka offering advice to our current stolid GM than not having an added advisor offering advice. 

I'm more inclined to believe that there will be some upgrading moves will be made this offseason. And without a doubt, I would rather have this addition in the room engaging with the GM before a personnel decision is made. I'm not ecstatic with the new staffer but am positive about it.  The bottom line is a positive act is better than a negative or no act. 

 

[Doohickie]

5 hours ago, Mr Peabody said:

Did KA hire his successor for an eventual transition to P0HO?  I thought the advisor to GM was merely a rumor but obviously not.  If the former,  this makes sense to ensure a smooth transition and prevents a ‘new guy’ from playing cowboy and blowing everything up. 

This is the answer 

[Slack_in_MA]

I’m among the crowd that’s not thrilled with Adams getting another mulligan, but if JK can offer sound advice, experience, and connections, that KA actually heeds, then it could be a step in the right direction. 
 

Cautiously optimistic. 

[wingnut]

In my daydream JK is for all intents and purposes GM and this is to save KA the embarrassment of being fired because Terry loves him. KA eventually transitions to another position somewhere in the organization. I don't care where.

[St. Pete Gogolak]

I’d have preferred Jorma Kaukonen but I guess you take what you can get.

[LGR4GM]

It's good they did something but unless we see on ice results, this is more of the same from an org that's repeatedly shown that they can't even get the basics right. 

[Thorny]

4 hours ago, Mango said:

This keeps coming up but I forking hate it with all my heart. This is no more serious of an org with Adams as Pres as it is with him as GM.

Adams total lack of vision and direction is the reason he's sucked during his entire tenure here. And people seem cool with promoting him to a roll that is almost entirely...checks notes....vision and direction....

Adams as President is a miserable decision for the franchise. He's a Terry enabler. Look at the Bills, part of the reason they work is that it's McD and Beane vs Pegula.

Now do that with Adams as POHO. It's Terry and Adams vs Jarmo. There are now two Pegulas outvoting real life front office people.

I think it was @Thorny who made reference to the 70's Steelers turning the corner. But it turned out Art Sr. just handed the keys to Dan Rooney.

If promoting Adams to POHO is seen as a real life fix for this org, we are better off just rooting for Pegulas retirement and one of the kids taking over.

It’s a mark of how bad the situation actually is that even situations like the one above must be accepted with open arms.

if Adam’s gets that position, it will be more of a go-between and less day to day: the GM would be more influential imo

Edited Friday at 09:12 PM by Thorny

[Thorny]

3 hours ago, pi2000 said:

I like the idea of it.

"Senior Advisor" tho?   Why not just name him POHO?

They make it sound like he'll just be a sounding board for KA.   In reality they need somebody who's much more than that.

This has all the makings of an internal power struggle between KA and JK, with Terry ultimately deciding who sticks around... this could get ugly very quickly as JK seems like a no-nonsense type of guy.

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

The bigger question: How long before we are calling for Kekäläinen's head?

 

How can you not yield your argument today when the thread is filled with positivity? At the very least relatively so? Your argument that “no one is ever happy” is wrong. demonstrably so.

Me, I am never happy.

But..look at the thread. Sabres fans are a brilliant shining light for reacting THIS positively to a *senior advisor* hire after RETAINING THEIR ENTIRE FAILED STAFF and missing the playoffs 5 times, this year sitting last in the east for the majority.

i have to restrain myself from delivering “vomiting” emojis to every post that alluded to Jarmo being here because this is Adams “last chance”. Are you KIDDING me? That was the last two years 

if already the overwhelmingly positive reaction in this thread doesn’t prove the fans WANT to believe you aren’t looking hard enough. 

“how long until the dumb fans want him gone? Hurgh hurgh hurgh.” As if the fans don’t know how to appreciate something good when they have it. Dude we never have it. We won’t want him gone if we actually win once 

Edited Friday at 09:25 PM by Thorny

[Thorny]

2 hours ago, shrader said:

He has the cushiest job in the face of the earth. If they fail, it’s Adams fault. Any success and he gets the credit. 

Agree with one minor adjustment edited in 

[LabattBlue]

Biggest question we won’t know the answer to…how much power will he yield(will KA take his advice or just give him lip service)?

[pi2000]

11 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Biggest question we won’t know the answer to…how much power will he yield(will KA take his advice or just give him lip service)?

[Wyldnwoody44]

[thewookie1]

Kek has been involved with the drafting of Gavrikov in LA, Pieterangelo in VGK and apparently was a mentor for Zito so that’s a positive 

[inkman]

1 minute ago, thewookie1 said:

Kek has been involved with the drafting of Gavrikov in LA, Pieterangelo in VGK and apparently was a mentor for Zito so that’s a positive 

Quite the resume 

[Weave]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

How can you not yield your argument today when the thread is filled with positivity? At the very least relatively so? Your argument that “no one is ever happy” is wrong. demonstrably so.

Me, I am never happy.

But..look at the thread. Sabres fans are a brilliant shining light for reacting THIS positively to a *senior advisor* hire after RETAINING THEIR ENTIRE FAILED STAFF and missing the playoffs 5 times, this year sitting last in the east for the majority.

i have to restrain myself from delivering “vomiting” emojis to every post that alluded to Jarmo being here because this is Adams “last chance”. Are you KIDDING me? That was the last two years 

if already the overwhelmingly positive reaction in this thread doesn’t prove the fans WANT to believe you aren’t looking hard enough. 

“how long until the dumb fans want him gone? Hurgh hurgh hurgh.” As if the fans don’t know how to appreciate something good when they have it. Dude we never have it. We won’t want him gone if we actually win once 

The self loathing is strong in this one.