Sabres Announce Kevyn Adams has been relieved of his duties; Jarmo Kekäläinen is the New Sabres GM

[Doohickie]

4 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Someone just called WGR and said Josh Allen needs to knock up Peyton Krebs.

I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.

[mjd1001]

1 minute ago, thewookie1 said:

I think the best angle on this is that JK did well running a small market team with real money constraints. As such, he likely understands how to "actually" run a small market team with competence. I don't worry about Pegula pitching in more money if he can turn the team around; he is still a hockey fan at heart and has shown a willingness to spend money at times (Dahlin, Power even Eichel and Skinner for that matter) It all comes down to how JK can keep Pegula in the loop while simultaneously running the team like an actual hockey executive person.

Pegula has to want to do this..but....the way I hope things are run is JK makes his own moves, he does what he wants. None of this "I want Erhoff" or "I want Ville Leino" of the far past.

JK should tell Pegula what he is going to do, but explain it to him like he's talking to a 5th grader.  Hopefully it won't be a situation where JK has to ask for permission, rather he just have to give reasons/explain why he is doing stuff.  If Pegula decides he wants to chime in with "lets do this" or "lets sign this guy no matter what" and JK disagrees, all he has to do is explain to Pegula why he, and hopefully the entire hockey department, disagree with Terry.

Again, for things to work that way though, it is ultimately up to the guy signing the checks.

[PASabreFan]

2 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.

Close your eyes and picture it.

[French Collection]

While Jarmo may not be the best NHL GM, the better ones are mostly employed at the moment as POHOs or GMs. He is definitely better than KA and I currently think that Jarmo, like many pro hockey people, can learn from past mistakes and grow into a better version of himself. Some GMs and coaches have had 2-3 jobs before finally having success.

16th best gets the team into the playoffs and you never know what can happen. Keep building from there.

Edited 10 hours ago by French Collection

[rickshaw]

I still can’t believe JK got Panarin for Saad. That alone tells me he knows something about gm’ing.

[Doohickie]

3 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

I think the best angle on this is that JK did well running a small market team with real money constraints. As such, he likely understands how to "actually" run a small market team with competence. I don't worry about Pegula pitching in more money if he can turn the team around; he is still a hockey fan at heart and has shown a willingness to spend money at times (Dahlin, Power even Eichel and Skinner for that matter) It all comes down to how JK can keep Pegula in the loop while simultaneously running the team like an actual hockey executive person.

I think Kevyn's fault (which I initially thought was a strength) was that I got the impression he communicated two ways with Terry and got Terry's input/buy-in on all major moves.  I think he tried to steer the club in his desired direction, but within the constraints Terry put on him.

I feel that Jarmo is aware of this dynamic and accepted the position only after putting boundaries in place with respect to Terry's inputs/buy-in/meddling.  I hope that he told Terry that while he appreciates that Terry is an avid fan, he needs to stay out of the decision making process, barring certain, pre-specified conditions.  Instead of the guardrails being on the GM, the guardrails will now be on the owner.

In exchange for this freedom, Jarmo has promised certain milestones be reached with respect to making the playoffs, winning playoff series, etc., and if he doesn't make the promised milestones then Terry can re-evaluate Jarmo's position as GM.  Executive positions typically have expected targets/goals.  Terry will understand if Jarmo demands certain freedoms in exchange for commitments to team goals.

[PASabreFan]

11 minutes ago, stenbaro said:

I was watching it when it happened. Bulldogs eyes popped out of his big ugly face. Lol

Note to self: get some hobbies.

Edited 11 hours ago by PASabreFan

[shrader]

When was the last time the Sabres hired an experienced NHL GM, someone who previously held an NHL GM job? I think it’s Bowman. Think on that one for a second. 

[DarthEbriate]

11 minutes ago, shrader said:

With Kekalainen out of country and no press conference until tomorrow morning, how much is there really to say at this moment?

Unadulterated speculation! The joy of message boards.

 

I will be curious of the initial moves:

1) Tuch -- extend or move? Quinn and Jarry mean the trade market is open for business.

2) Does Ruff get more autonomy for his staff? Will there be assistant coaching moves? Or is Ruff going directly upstairs now and a new head coach is in the cards?

[Doohickie]

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Close your eyes and picture it.

Perhaps my imagination is not capable enough.

[LGR4GM]

21 minutes ago, CTJoe said:

I get what you're saying, but one team is relevant the other one.... as far away from relevant as imaginable.  

1 team just fired their GM. It's really too much to ask them to stfu about Allen puking for 15 min and not take Bob in Tonawandas call until next segment?

[HumanSlinky39]

Hallelujah 

[tom webster]

4 minutes ago, shrader said:

When was the last time the Sabres hired an experienced NHL GM, someone who previously held an NHL GM job? I think it’s Bowman. Think on that one for a second. 

They’ve only ever hired two GM’s with previous GM experience;

Punch Imlach and 
Bowman, who wasn’t GM in Montreal but was GM with St. Louis

[...]

26 minutes ago, CTJoe said:

I get what you're saying, but one team is relevant the other one.... as far away from relevant as imaginable.  

It's not relevant because of the guy who was just fired. He was fired because he did not make the team relevant. This makes it a doubly relevant story.

[JustOneParade]

2 hours ago, JP51 said:

Yeah, this does nothing for me... we are just promoting from the same internal pool of failure...  more of the same to come... 

That's not necessarily a given. Exhibit A: Bill Polian with the Bills.

[shrader]

1 minute ago, tom webster said:

They’ve only ever hired two GM’s with previous GM experience;

Punch Imlach and 
Bowman, who wasn’t GM in Montreal but was GM with St. Louis

I wasn’t alive for either of these hires. That timeline is crazy. 
 

It does make me wonder now what proportion of GM hires around the league are fist timers. Maybe this number isn’t all that crazy. 

[Believer]

We got the change we asked for with Adam’s departure.

Expect Jarmo will elevate the operation and reset the roster.

Have hope again.

[tom webster]

41 minutes ago, ... said:

I recognize this is a matter of personal opinion, but if one is in over their head and knows it, are they obligated at some point to admit it for the sake of greater good? If so, and they do not admit it, what do we call that person?

My experience is that most people over-promoted are the last to realize they are in over their head. In my opinion this doesn’t make them bad people.

13 minutes ago, shrader said:

I wasn’t alive for either of these hires. That timeline is crazy. 
 

It does make me wonder now what proportion of GM hires around the league are fist timers. Maybe this number isn’t all that crazy. 

More importantly, I think most of the best current GM’s are first timers. Probably a function of a switch to a more analytics driven league.

[erickompositör72]

1 hour ago, xzy89c1 said:

he really is not. He was hired into a position he was unqualified for in any way. 

I'm just telling you what I heard from people who knew him. He wanted to rise in ranks in the organization and some found his way of doing so distasteful.

[JustOneParade]

27 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think Kevyn's fault (which I initially thought was a strength) was that I got the impression he communicated two ways with Terry and got Terry's input/buy-in on all major moves.  I think he tried to steer the club in his desired direction, but within the constraints Terry put on him.

I feel that Jarmo is aware of this dynamic and accepted the position only after putting boundaries in place with respect to Terry's inputs/buy-in/meddling.  I hope that he told Terry that while he appreciates that Terry is an avid fan, he needs to stay out of the decision making process, barring certain, pre-specified conditions.  Instead of the guardrails being on the GM, the guardrails will now be on the owner.

In exchange for this freedom, Jarmo has promised certain milestones be reached with respect to making the playoffs, winning playoff series, etc., and if he doesn't make the promised milestones then Terry can re-evaluate Jarmo's position as GM.  Executive positions typically have expected targets/goals.  Terry will understand if Jarmo demands certain freedoms in exchange for commitments to team goals.

I too hope this would be the case. And if so, it needs to me made public (and probably re-worded a bit) so Sabres' pending free agents, other teams' pending free agents, and player agents hear that things will be run differently. It would at least give the Sabres a better opportunity at that avenue to improve the roster. 

[GoPuckYourself]

Me walking into work after hearing the news that GM KA was fired....

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Mustache of God said:

What about Jordan Staal? 

He should report to Jarmo and support him as required.  He will learn a lot more from him and from Adams. 

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Praising Adams’ “reliable presence” is subtly hilarious.

That translates to - he did what was asked.  

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Now let's get Jarmo fired.

....   like clockwork  

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Was KA or the owner the person most responsible for the hiring of Jarmo as an advisor?

That is a good question.  I heard it was KA that had some kind of relationship with him.  

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm sorry but what "extensive search" is Terry talking about in his statement? They clearly brought in Jarmo this offseason with the plan that if it didn't work, Kevyn would be replaced by him. 

Cut and paste from the boilerplate used for the Lindy hire. 

57 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Adams gone=good... but Jarmo has never been a good at GM'ing either!!!!

Just more stark proof that the Sabres' lack of success is Terry driven.

Give him a chance.  

41 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I sure hope the new broom will sweep clean.  

We'll find out soon enough.

Mostly a clean sweep  There are probably some good ones worth keeping and he has some time to observe and listen and get to know the dynamic, that could be a real advantage.  Good people on your staff is important.  

28 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I didn’t mean to imply that it doesn’t do anything for me because Pegula getting rid of Adams is a sign that he’s actually willing to trust somebody other a person who’s been in his employ since he bought the team. My hope is that Pegs can get over his Ruff worship to let Lindy be a direct report to JK moving forward because as much as I like and respect Lindy, I believe a change needs to be made there and if JK feels the same way he should have free rein to replace Ruff without Pegula’s ok. 

Yes.  Multiple reports to TP can get tricky.  

 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Brawndo said:

They hid Kekäläinen somewhere in the Key Bank Center and it took Terry six hours to find him. Pegula considers that an extensive search 

Great joke considering Kekalainen was burying his father over the weekend 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, ... said:

I recognize this is a matter of personal opinion, but if one is in over their head and knows it, are they obligated at some point to admit it for the sake of greater good? If so, and they do not admit it, what do we call that person?

Maybe he eventually did.  

[sabresouth]

I hope he signs Tuch. He is second on the team in goals and points. Hopefully this change at gm will give him a boost and elevate is game a little bit. Heck I'm hoping to see a good jump from all the players against the flyers. I think ka was just a huge drag on the sychy of the team. Everyone knew he needed to go. Even the players could sense it, I believe