This Is A Trend That Can End

I truly believe that people get hired to do jobs because they have the skills and abilities to do said job. Yes, there are always areas where can improve and get stronger in their skillsets, but employers want the most qualified people in place for things to run smoothly. In the last two days, however, it seems that two teams have decided to add experience to their front offices as the Buffalo Sabres, as seen yesterday, and the Boston Bruins have decided to hire senior advisors. Understandably, John Davidson is bringing his knowledge and experiences to Buffalo to help the Sabres, but it's certainly a head-scratching move to see the Bruins hiring former Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams as their new senior advisor.

Again, Davidson fits the role well as he's 73 years-old, has 16 years of experience as a high-ranking hockey executive, and is 13 years older than Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen. With the Bruins hiring Adams as their senior advisor, they're getting a guy who has worked in various roles throughout the Buffalo Sabres organization since 2009, but has only been a front office executive since 2019 where he worked as Vice-President for a season before becoming the general manager in 2020 for six seasons. In none of those seasons since 2019 did the Sabres make the playoffs, but he did add significant pieces.

What makes this "senior advisor" role so weird is that Adams is 51 years-old compared to Bruins GM Don Sweeney who is 59 years-old, and Sweeney has held the role of assistant general manager or general manager for the Bruins since 2009! Adams, who has six years in some sort of management capacity is now a "senior advisor" to a guy who is eight years older than him and has eleven more years of management experience! How on earth does that make sense?

"As we continue to build our staff, these changes recognize the hard work and growth of people within our organization while also adding experienced voices to our group," Sweeney said in a statement today.

Kevyn Adams made a total of 41 trades in his five-and-a-half years as the Sabres' GM while signing 141 players to deals. He made 47 selections at NHL Entry Drafts, including eight first-round picks, and only three players of those 47 chosen have played more than 100 games in the NHL. I get that he sat in the big chair in Buffalo, but his résumé screams "inexperienced"! How is he a "senior advisor"?

Just because a guy has a handful of years doing a job doesn't mean he should be advising anyone in another organization on how to do that person's job. I get that there are just a few guys who have the résumé who can step in and provide real advice to current GMs - Scotty Bowman and David Poile come to mind - but naming Kevyn Adams as a "senior advisor" to Don Sweeney seems like a stretch. He can be an advisor if the Bruins really want, but "senior advisor"?

This is a trend that needs to end quickly. I get that teams are hunting for strategic advantages, but hiring a guy who most people feel was underqualified for his previous job doesn't make him a "senior advisor". Kevyn Adams has experience and I cannot dispute that, but medical students who graudate with a 2.0 GPA are still called "doctors". And I'm not sure I'd be hiring those "medical advisors".

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!