Rasmus Dahlin smiled with satisfaction.
Jarmo Kekäläinen does not like slackers. Timo Hartikainen / AOP
When from Buffalo’s captain From Rasmus Dahlin was asked Jarmo Kekäläinenthe Swede’s face rose of The Athletic along with a smile. He was excited.
– We are turning a new page. We look to the future, thought Dahl.
From the beginning of the week, Kekäläinen sat on the stool of Buffalo’s GM, which previously belonged to him To Kevyn Adams. This is already the third GM under whom Dahlin plays in Buffalo.
– The situation is what it is. This is tough, that’s obvious, but I think Jarmo is the guy who will turn things around, thought Dahl.
At least Kekäläinen is a different GM than Buffalo’s previous managers. After all, a Finn is the owner Terry Pegula the first GM in the era who already had previous experience in that position in the NHL before being hired.
– He has been involved in the NHL, I don’t know, maybe more than 20 years. Experience is needed in this series and he has it. So he knows what he’s doing, Dahlin estimates.
He hasn’t talked much with Kekäläinen yet, even though the Finn arrived at the club last May as a “senior advisor”.
– I’ve only seen him walking here and there, but I’ve heard that he’s really hard at work and that he knows what he wants. He has self-confidence and is not afraid to make changes, says Dahlin.
Buffalo has been known for years as a team that should have potential, but it hasn’t come to the fore because the attitude of the players has often been a bit questionable.
Captain Dahlinkin is arguably one of the most skilled defenders in the league, but he might not be considered a player who always gives his all for the team.
Changes to the player material are certainly on the way, as Kekäläinen immediately mentioned in his first press conferences that he “sees talent a little differently”. A Finn values a hard attitude and hard work more than soft hands.
Rasmus Dahlin believes that Jarmo Kekäläinen will turn the club’s course. PDO