The last general manager of the Blue Jackets was Jarmo Kekalainen. An estimate of his value is $5 million. In 1995, Kekalainen started working as an executive, and in 2013, he joined the Blue Jackets.
The most successful and longest-serving general manager in Blue Jackets history, Jarmo Kekalainen, was fired on Thursday. Although fans did not find the announcement surprising, some did question the timing. About three weeks remain until the NHL deadline, and in the interim, general manager John Davidson, president of hockey operations, will lead the team.
Even though Jarmo oversaw one of the Blue Jackets’ greatest periods in history, their struggle to retain their best players has been a cause for concern. In the past, the team was unable to sign free players Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. For Jarmo, it’s now a recurrent pattern.
Jarmo Kekäläinen Net Worth Before Firing
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The longtime general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jarmo Kekäläinen, is estimated to be worth $5 million. The Finnish ice hockey executive began his career as a player in his native nation before traveling to the US to study at Clarkson University and eventually sign with the NHL.
Before leaving the team to return to Finland, he played two seasons for the Boston Bruins after signing with them in 1989. Although his contract is still secret and he didn’t leave much of an impact in Boston, it’s hard to believe he was paid six figures. He joined KalPa in Finland before relocating to Tappara “A” for the upcoming season.
The two teams play in the SM-liiga, with an expected $100,000 as the average salary in the league in 2024. Before joining Västerås IK in Sweden, he played one season in the United States with the Ottawa Senators. He had a knee injury in 1995 and had to retire. It is therefore commonly thought that Kekalainen made a lot more money as an executive than as a player.
In 1995, he took on his first managerial role with the Finnish team IFK Helsinki. He held the position of general manager for the club from 1995 to 1999. Kekalainen was employed concurrently as the European Scout for the Ottawa Senators. He was appointed permanent director of player personnel by the Senators in 1999.
Before 2009, Jarmo held several occupations before joining the St. Louis Blues in 2002. He spent three years as director of player personnel, three more as director of amateur scouting, and the final six seasons as assistant general manager. Jarmo most likely earned between $100,000 and $500,000 for these positions.
His tenure As Blue Jackets General Manager
His employment In 2010, Jarmo, the general manager of the Blue Jackets, went back to Finland to take charge of Jokerit. Following three years at Jokerit, Jarmo assumed his most significant responsibility to date. In February 2013, Jarmo was appointed general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The salary of a new general manager in the NHL was estimated to be between $600,000 and $1 million at the time. Due to his contract extensions in 2018 and 2021, the Finnish executive’s pay may have increased. It’s widely believed that Jarmo received compensation of between $2.5 million and $2 million.
In the NHL, general managers’ salaries have steadily increased. It was announced in 2019 that the general manager of the Ottawa Senators Ken Holland had signed a $25 million, five-year contract. Holland was first promised $3 million to $3.5 million by the Red Wings to stay with them, but the Senators were able to entice him to leave.
A team’s performance is taken into consideration when calculating a general manager’s compensation, and the Jackets haven’t been very successful. It is highly unlikely that you will get paid more than $4 million, Jarmo.
Blue Jackets Fire Jarmo Kekalainen After 11 Years in Charge
The firing of Jarmo Kekalainen was expected. Months before he was fired, there were suspicions. In 2013, Jarmo started a historic career with the NHL as its first-ever general manager who was born in Europe. The Blue Jackets won their only series in 2019 and advanced to the playoffs five times under Jarmo’s leadership.
Jarmo’s firing was announced on Thursday by John Davidson, the alternate governor and president of hockey operations for the Blue Jackets. In 2021, Davidson made his way back to Columbus, and Jarmo’s contract extension was revealed at the same time. “This is one of the most difficult days I have had in my career,” Davidson said after Jarmo was fired. “Jarmo is a friend, someone I much admire, and someone who has done a lot of wonderful things during his tenure here,” Davidson added.
Although the future of our club is bright, we have not performed up to par, and as we move forward, it is time for a fresh perspective. With the backing of the whole management group, Davidson will assume the role of general manager in the interim. According to Davidson, Jarmo’s replacement will come from outside the organization.
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