1:30pm: The Sabres have made it official, hiring Karmanos as associate general manager. The release indicates that Karmanos will serve as general manager of the Rochester Americans and also oversee the Sabres’ scouting, player development and analytics departments.
11:30am: The Buffalo Sabres are “finalizing the details” in the hiring of Jason Karmanos as associate general manager, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. John Buccigross of ESPN tweeted earlier today that he also expects Karmanos to join the Buffalo front office.
Son of former Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos, Jason Karmanos has been involved in NHL front offices for more than two decades. He was part of the Hurricanes executive team from 1998 until 2013, then followed Jim Rutherford to the Pittsburgh Penguins where he served as vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager for six years. Karmanos was let go by the Penguins in October, just a few months before Rutherford would eventually resign from the GM position.
In Buffalo, he’ll join GM Kevyn Adams, a familiar face from the Carolina days. Adams was part of the 2006 Hurricanes team that won the Stanley Cup (though amazingly, he registered zero points in 25 postseason games that year) and played several years for the organization before ending his playing career in 2008. Karmanos has been linked to the Buffalo AGM job since he left the Penguins, but it appears that will now soon become official.
So is this a good hire or so so? Will the Sabres turn the corner now that they have figured it out the players need freedom to be who they are instead of shackling them with poor offensive schemes under the last coach?
Well it appears he has 3 rings (Carolina, Pittsburgh x 2) so on the surface it looks decent.
Nepotism strikes again!
Not sure about that. Maybe the first time he was hired by his father’s team, but not this time. I guess he proved himself and so this is a hire based on his resume?
Why not Rutherford ….?
Hmmm, is this the door opening for Rutherford to walk in thru?