Jarmo Kekäläinen returns to face Blue Jackets as Sabres extend winning streak

Jarmo Kekäläinen was named Buffalo's general manager on Dec. 15 and will face his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the Sabres carry a 10-game winning streak into Saturday's game.

Jarmo Kekäläinen returned to the NHL as general manager of the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 15, replacing Kevyn Adams. The Sabres traveled to Nationwide Arena to play the Columbus Blue Jackets on a Saturday matinee while carrying a 10-game winning streak. Kekäläinen previously served as the Blue Jackets' general manager from 2013 until he was fired on Feb. 15, 2024. He has since worked with a Finnish company applying AI to hockey analytics and served as a special adviser to the Sabres last spring. Key details: - Kekäläinen replaced Kevyn Adams as Buffalo general manager on Dec. 15. - The Sabres entered the game with a 10-game winning streak and hold the longest active NHL playoff drought at 14 seasons. - Kekäläinen was fired by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 15, 2024, after more than 11 years leading the club. - Under his tenure in Columbus, the team earned five of the franchise's six playoff berths and its only playoff series win, including a 2019 first-round sweep of Tampa Bay. - After leaving Columbus he worked on AI-driven hockey analytics, helped build Finland’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, and joined Buffalo as a special adviser before returning to a GM role. - The Blue Jackets planned to acknowledge Kekäläinen's decade-plus with the organization during the game. Summary: Kekäläinen's return to the GM role has coincided with a strong run for Buffalo that drew comparisons to a winning stretch he saw in Columbus. The immediate next event is Saturday's game in Nationwide Arena, where the Sabres can extend their streak and the Blue Jackets will acknowledge his time with the franchise. Further outcomes were not specified in the reporting.