The Buffalo Sabres announced Monday they have relieved Kevyn Adams of his duties as general manager, replacing him with Jarmo Kekäläinen effective immediately.
The move was anticipated in recent days, and in recent weeks many frustrated local hockey fans could be heard chanting for Kevyn Adams’ dismissal.
The Sabres have failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs in the previous 14 seasons, going back well before Adams’ hire as GM in 2020. As of Monday, they were one of three teams tied for last place in the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference.
Terry Pegula said the following in a statement issued by the Sabres Monday: “I would like to thank Kevyn for his dedication and loyalty to the Buffalo Sabres. He has been a reliable presence, and we are appreciative of his enduring care and commitment. I personally wish him and his entire family all the best.
“We are not where we need to be as an organization, and we are moving forward with new leadership within our hockey operations department. We are dedicated to building an organization that is competitive year after year, and we have fallen short of that expectation.
“I have named Jarmo Kekäläinen as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres and he will be overseeing hockey operations, effective immediately. The hiring of Jarmo was the result of an extensive search process in which Jarmo stood out as our top choice for the senior advisor position. 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.”
Prior to Adams’ role as general manager, he served the team in positions including assistant coach and Senior Vice President of Business Administration.
He also played several seasons in the NHL. Drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1993, Adams later signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and made his NHL debut in 1997. He also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Phoenix Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks, retiring in 2009. Adams was born in Washington D.C., but grew up in Clarence.
Adams was part of the Hurricanes’ 2006 Stanley Cup championship team, which defeated the Sabres in the Eastern Conference final series before advancing to beat the Edmonton Oilers for the cup.
A native of Kuopio, Finland, Kekäläinen is the first European-born general manager in NHL history. Previously, he worked parts of 12 seasons as general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013 to 2024. He also previously held executive roles with the St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators. Kekäläinen also worked for three years as general manager of Jokerit, a club in Finland’s top professional hockey league, and served with the Finnish national team program.
As a player, he skated with Clarkson University before playing professionally largely in Sweden and Finland, with a few short stints in the NHL.
