Jarmo Kekäläinen started already in 1999 as the head of the Ottawa Senators’ player scouting. Even before that, the native of Kuopio worked as a player observer.
Jarmo Kekäläinen was fired at a kind of strange moment, three weeks before the NHL’s transfer deadline and shortly after the all-star break. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
On Thursday, the NHL club Columbus Blue Jackets fired Jarmo Kekäläinen, who served as the club’s general manager.
– This is a disgusting day for Jarmo. But when you look at this whole, it’s worth thinking, is there another Finnish person who has had an equally great career in the NHL? says Stanley Cup winner Kimmo Timonen.
– It can’t be found, and that’s just a fact. If someone doesn’t want to accept it, then nothing can be done about it. At the same time, Jarmo has done a lot for Finnish ice hockey.
The 57-year-old Kekäläinen served as the Blue Jackets’ GM for 11 years and 869 games. He moved from Helsinki Jokers to Columbus in the middle of the 2012–2013 season.
In total, Kekäläinen has worked for about 23 years in management positions of NHL teams. The clubs have been the Ottawa Senators. St. Louis Blues and Columbus.
On top of that come the years as a talent scout.
Hardly any Finn will make a similar career in the NHL.
A new opportunity will come
Kimmo Timonen played 1,108 regular season games in the world’s toughest hockey league and won the Stanley Cup in Chicago. He appreciates Jarmo Kekäläinen’s career. PETRI SAARELAINEN / AOP
Timonen, who still lives in the United States, reminds us that Kekäläi is highly regarded in the NHL world. Timonen has seen that during and after his playing career.
– Despite these firings, Jarmo is highly regarded in North America. He worked here for quite a few years without getting fired. Will there be new jobs for him, a new story awaits, believes Timonen.
There are now only two GMs in the Taalaliiga who started in their teams before the Finn.
Criticism is heard
Of course, Kekäläinen’s years can contain mistakes in both player and coach recruitments. Another thing is who in the Blue Jackets organization actually made the final decision, for example, in terms of head coach selections.
It could have been someone above Kekäläinen. For example, the president of the club John Davidson.
Kekäläinen did not make the Blue Jackets successful. It was as if there was constant turbulence around the club.
– Of course, criticism belongs to the work and everyday life of a person in that position, that’s quite clear. But on the other hand, people don’t seem to understand what path Jarmo has taken to get there.
– There is no similar story in Finnish hockey. That has to be appreciated, Timonen reminds.
The 57-year-old Kekäläinen is deep in NHL circles. He will probably get a new job with another NHL organization very soon, if he wants to take one.