Buffalo’s new general manager addressed Tuch negotiations, 3-goalie situation, plans for coaching staff, relationship with ownership, leadership style and more.

Jarmo Kekalainen's tenure as general manager of the Sabres is going to have a rocky beginning, thanks to the mess Kevyn Adams left behind.

But replacing Lindy Ruff may be the next major move, without gutting the roster. Ruff is in his second go-around with the Sabres. His first stint came from 1998 to 2013. During that time, the Sabres made the Stanley Cup Final. It was also under Ruff’s first tenure that Buffalo last made the playoffs.

Jarmo Kekalainen’s first comments as Buffalo Sabres general manager on Tuesday were indicative of someone who looking to put his own stamp on an organization and make changes to a club that has missed the playoffs the last 14 seasons.

The Sabres rank in the top 10 in both average shot speed (59.57 mph; seventh) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (817; eighth); they are one of four teams in the top 10 of each category, joining the Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators.

The Buffalo Sabres have become a case study in sports franchise stagnation as we've watched them miss the playoffs in new and exciting ways for an NHL-record 14 consecutive seasons. Some figured they'd turn it around in this 2025-26 season and avoid extending their streak to 15 seasons,

Forget making a trade; now that Jarmo Kekalainen has been hired as the Buffalo Sabres GM, his first order of business is to hire a coach who can get the team back in the playoffs.