Jarmo Kekäläinen’s employment contract as GM of the NHL club Columbus Blue Jackets would have been valid until the end of the 2024-2025 season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have released Jarmo Kekaläinen57, to the duties of the club’s CEO in the ice hockey NHL.
– This is one of the hardest days I have had in my career, because Jarmo is a friend whom I respect a lot and who has done a lot of good while he was here, director of the club’s puck operations John Davidson said on the NHL club’s website.
The result made by Kekeläinen in the background of the club was not good enough, and Columbus Blue Jackets decided to seek “new winds†for the future lines.
The Finnish ice hockey boss has been the general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets for eleven years. In that time, Columbus has only won a playoff series once.
Kekääinen had worked at his club for the third longest time among general managers of NHL clubs. Of the six that have been operating the longest, Kekäääinen’s merites are the weakest. On average, the general managers of NHL clubs last five years at a time.
Majority owner of the Blue Jackets John P. McConnell wished the well-liked Finnish puck boss and his family all the best.
– I would like to thank Jarmo on behalf of our ownership group for his hard work and commitment over the past 11 years. He and Tiina-wife and their daughter will always be part of the Blue Jackets family, McConnell reminded.