The Buffalo Sabres have added another familiar name to their front office, bringing in John Davidson as a senior advisor on Monday.
Davidson, 73, comes to Buffalo after spending much of the last two decades in hockey operations roles, and his connection with Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen runs deep. The two have worked together before in both Columbus and St. Louis, giving this move a built-in comfort level from the start.
Kekalainen and Davidson’s partnership dates back to Columbus, where Davidson brought Kekalainen in during 2013 and made him the NHL’s first European GM. Their overlap also included St. Louis, where Davidson was president of hockey operations while Kekalainen worked as the Blues’ director of amateur scouting.
“I am thrilled to welcome John Davidson to the Sabres as a senior advisor,” Kekalainen said in a statement. “John and I have a strong working relationship that we have developed over many years.
His experience leading multiple organizations, combined with his player evaluation skills and relationships around the NHL make him a great fit for this role. He will lend his expertise and guidance to all areas within the hockey department as we aim to continue to improve our club.”
Davidson is the third major front-office addition Buffalo has made under Kekalainen. Before Christmas, Kekalainen also brought in Marc Bergevin and Josh Flynn as assistant general managers.
For Davidson, the move adds another stop to a long hockey career that began on the ice and moved into the broadcast booth before shifting into management. He played 10 seasons with the Blues and Rangers, then became one of the sport’s most recognizable voices on Rangers broadcasts and national TV. In 2009, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.
His track record in team leadership is substantial. After joining the Blues in 2006-07, following a 21-win season, St.
Louis reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2008-09 and again in 2011-12, when the club finished with 109 points. He and Kekalainen later helped guide Columbus to four playoff appearances and a franchise-best 108 points in 2016-17.
Davidson also spent 2019-20 and 2020-21 as the Rangers’ president, then returned to Columbus as president of hockey operations for three seasons. He briefly served as interim GM in 2023-24 after the Blue Jackets fired Kekalainen, and he spent 2024-25 as a senior advisor there.
“I am excited to join the Buffalo Sabres and look forward to the opportunity to help the organization in any way I can,” Davidson said in a statement. “The momentum in Buffalo is palpable throughout the entire league and the passion from Sabres fans makes this opportunity all the more exciting.”
Buffalo also made a small roster move Monday, dealing minor league forwards with Washington and landing Zac Funk in exchange for Tyler Kopff.
Funk, 22, is a 6-foot, 210-pound forward who spent most of last season in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays, where he scored nine goals and 19 points in 23 games. He also had two assists in 10 games with Hershey, Washington’s AHL affiliate.
Kopff, 23, is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound forward who spent most of last season with the Rochester Americans. He finished with one goal and five points in 30 games.
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