Jarmo Kekalainen isn’t wasting time softening the edges in Buffalo.
Since taking over as Sabres general manager in December, he’s pushed the organization into a much firmer, more direct mode - one that replaced the excuse-heavy tone that had lingered under Kevyn Adams and demanded more accountability inside the room. The shift mattered. Buffalo climbed out of a 14-year postseason drought, won the Atlantic Division and reached the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
That same straight-shooting style is carrying into the offseason. Kekalainen has already been blunt about the reluctance to negotiate from the camps of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and both players were moved in separate trades with the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, respectively.
There’s still plenty of summer work ahead if the Sabres are going to push themselves into true Stanley Cup contender territory, but for the first time in a while, the franchise seems to have a clear direction.
Kekalainen also opened up on a few key topics during a recent appearance on the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, including Terry Pegula’s hands-on ownership style.
Friedman brought up a detail about how Kekalainen operates with the Sabres owner.
"You mentioned Terry Pegula, I asked somebody - doesn't work for the Sabres but they're very connected to sports in Buffalo - I asked them about you, what they've learned about you and they said that you are very good at saying, 'Terry, just let me work with this,'" the NHL insider said. "They say he's a great owner, he's super passionate, he wants to win yesterday but sometimes he needs someone to say just let me work with this and they said you are very skilled at that."
Kekalainen’s answer matched the reputation that’s followed him for years.
"Well, I can be blunt with my opinions," the 59-year-old Finland native said with a laugh. "Maybe it comes from my background of being Finnish, but I always just tell you what my opinion is, what I think of a thing and I don't sugarcoat it. That's what I get paid for."
That dynamic showed up in plain view during the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, where photos posted by the Sabres on social media showed Pegula seated beside Kekalainen in the war room.
He also made it clear he’s not in any rush to move Jack Quinn.
The 24-year-old winger just put together a career year, finishing with 51 points - 20 goals and 31 assists - in 82 games. He did it at a bargain $3.375 million AAV for next season, and Buffalo controls him through RFA status through 2028-29. Even with those numbers and that contract, Quinn keeps popping up in fan trade ideas.
Kekalainen doesn’t sound eager to join that crowd.
"I think Jack Quinn grew a lot last year," he said on 32 Thoughts. "And he was kind of snakebitten a little bit throughout the season.
Got a lot of chances and didn't shoot with a high percentage but has an excellent shot. I've said it before, I think he can get 30, maybe 40, goals a year when he gets into the prime of his career.
He's got excellent offensive instincts, he's fast, he's got great one-on-one skill."
Quinn’s finishing dipped this season, too. He came into 2025-26 as a career 12.5% shooter, then converted just 10.5% of his shots on goal. Still, Kekalainen pointed to the shot and the offensive tools that could help the number bounce back starting in the fall.
That doesn’t guarantee Quinn is off the trade market, but moving a player with that kind of upside on a team-friendly contract would be a notable choice.
In goal, Kekalainen sounded comfortable with the group Buffalo already has.
The Sabres were linked to Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, but no deal materialized before Buffalo used its first-round picks on defenseman Daxon Rudolph and center Ilia Morozov. Kekalainen’s podcast appearance came before the draft, yet he still spoke like a man willing to run it back with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
"We've gotten good goaltending this year, too. It's an easy position to scrutinize and criticize," Buffalo's GM said.
"UPL had a .910 save percentage this year. Alex Lyon won a lot of games for us.
Even Colten Ellis played some excellent hockey this year. So, I don't think goaltending by any means is a weakness of our team.
I think it's a strength of our team."
The regular season mostly backed him up. The playoffs were a different story, with UPL and Lyon combining for inconsistent results and Buffalo finishing with a .893 team save percentage. Head coach Lindy Ruff had to keep juggling his top two options in search of a hot hand.
Even so, the Hellebuyck chatter hasn’t gone away since the draft, and a major move in goal is still possible. Luukkonen would likely have to be part of any deal.
For now, though, Kekalainen doesn’t sound like a GM eager to force the issue. And with Buffalo still looking to add a proven top-six scorer, that may be the clearest priority on the board.
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