Jarmo Kekalainen is the former Blue Jackets general manager. He is worth an estimated $5 million. Kekalainen became an executive in 1995 and joined the Blue Jackets in 2013. Jarmo Kekalainen, the longest-serving and most successful general manager in Blue Jackets history, was dismissed on Thursday. The announcement did not come as a surprise, but supporters have questioned the timing.
The NHL deadline is almost three weeks away, and John Davidson, the president of hockey operations, has taken over as acting general manager. Though one of the Blue Jackets’ brightest moments in history occurred under Jarmo, their inability to keep their top players has been a concern. Previously, the club failed to sign Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin as free agents. It has become a recurring trend for Jarmo.
Jarmo Kekäläinen Net Worth Before Firing
Jarmo Kekäläinen, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ longstanding general manager, is projected to have a net worth of $5 million. The Finnish ice hockey executive started his career as a player in his own country before coming to the United States to attend Clarkson University and ultimately joining the National Hockey League. He signed with the Boston Bruins in 1989 and spent two seasons with the team before returning to Finland. He didn’t make much of an impression in Boston, and his contract is still classified, but it’s difficult to think he was paid six figures.
In Finland, he joined KalPa before moving to Tappara “A” the next season. The two clubs compete in the SM-liiga, and the league’s average wage in 2024 is estimated to be $100,000. He spent one season with the Ottawa Senators in the US before joining Västerås IK in Sweden. He retired in 1995 after sustaining a knee injury. As a result, it is widely believed that Kekalainen earned much more as an executive than as a player. His first management position was with the Finnish club IFK Helsinki in 1995. Between 1995 until 1999, he served as the club’s general manager.
At the same time, Kekalainen worked as the Ottawa Senators’ European Scout. In 1999, he became the Senators’ permanent director of player personnel. Jarmo joined the St Louis Blues in 2002 and had several jobs until 2009. He served as director of player personnel for three years, director of amateur scouting for another three, and assistant general manager for the last six seasons. Jarmo’s pay while holding these posts was most likely between $100,000 and $500,000.
His tenure As Blue Jackets General Manager
Jarmo returned to Finland in 2010 to lead the club Jokerit. After three years at Jokerit, Jarmo took on his most important duty yet. Jarmo was named as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ general manager in February 2013. At the time, a new NHL general manager’s pay was believed to be between $600,000 and $1 million.
The Finnish executive’s compensation may have grown when he extended his contract in 2018 and again in 2021. Many people estimate that Jarmo was paid between $2 million and $2.5 million. The wages of general managers in the NHL have progressively climbed. Ken Holland, the Ottawa Senators’ general manager, was reported in 2019 to have received a five-year contract for $25 million. The Red Wings first offered Holland $3 million to $3.5 million to retain him, but the Senators were able to lure him away. When determining a GM’s remuneration, a team’s performance is taken into account, and the Jackets haven’t been that successful. So, Jarmo, being paid more than $4 million is quite improbable.
Blue Jackets Fire Jarmo Kekalainen After 11 Years in Charge
Jarmo Kekalainen’s firing was not unexpected. There were suspicions for months before he was sacked. Jarmo’s employment in 2013 was historic, as he became the NHL’s first European-born general manager. Under Jarmo, the Blue Jackets made the playoffs five times and won their sole series in 2019.
John Davidson, the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations and alternate governor, announced Jarmo’s dismissal on Thursday. Davidson returned to Columbus in 2021, and his return and Jarmo’s contract renewal were announced simultaneously. Following Jarmo’s dismissal, Davidson said, “This is one of the most difficult days I have had in my career, since Jarmo is a friend, someone I much admire, and someone who has done a lot of wonderful things during his tenure here.
While our club’s future looks promising, our performance has not been satisfactory, and it is time for a new viewpoint as we go ahead.” Davidson will take over as GM in the meantime, with support from the rest of the management team. Davidson has stated that Jarmo’s successor would come from outside the company.
