John Davidson gets a new job, joins new NHL team

The Buffalo Sabres are fresh off their best season in over a decade, and they are not slowing down when it comes to building a front office capable of sustaining that success. On Monday, the organization announced a new addition to its hockey operations department that reunites two executives with a proven history of winning together.

A Decorated Executive Finds His Next Chapter

John Davidson, 73, has been hired as a senior advisor by the Sabres, joining a leadership group headed by general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen and assistant GMs Marc Bergevin and Josh Flynn. The move brings one of the most experienced front office figures in hockey to a franchise riding a wave of momentum after breaking a 14-year playoff drought last season.

Davidson's resume speaks for itself. Over the course of 20 years working in NHL front offices, he served 18 seasons as president of hockey operations across three franchises: the St. Louis Blues, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the New York Rangers. His track record of turning struggling teams into contenders is well documented. In St. Louis, he helped transform a 57-point squad into a 108-point powerhouse during a six-year stretch. In Columbus, he oversaw a similar turnaround, helping the Blue Jackets climb from 65 points to four consecutive playoff appearances, including a franchise-best 108-point campaign in 2016-17.

It was during his time in Columbus that Davidson first hired Kekäläinen as general manager back in February 2013, after the two had previously worked together in St. Louis. That long-standing partnership now continues in Buffalo. Davidson most recently served as a senior advisor with Columbus during the 2024-25 season and also stepped in as interim general manager during the 2023-24 campaign. He is now one of three members of the Sabres' front office with GM experience, alongside Kekäläinen and Bergevin.

Why Buffalo, and Why Now

The timing of the hire is no coincidence. Buffalo is coming off a breakout 2025-26 season in which the team posted a 50-23-9 record, won the Atlantic Division, and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in a hard-fought seven-game series. The Sabres clearly believe that adding Davidson's expertise in player evaluation and organizational leadership can help push them even further.

Kekäläinen expressed enthusiasm about the reunion, highlighting Davidson's ability to lead organizations and his deep network of relationships across the league. Davidson himself acknowledged the energy surrounding the franchise, calling the momentum in Buffalo "palpable throughout the entire league" and praising the passion of Sabres fans.

Before his front office career, Davidson carved out a notable playing career as well. Selected in the first round of the 1973 NHL Draft by St. Louis, he spent a decade as a goaltender for the Blues and Rangers. After hanging up his pads, he transitioned into broadcasting, where he achieved enough distinction to earn the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

With Davidson now in the fold, the Sabres have assembled a front office loaded with experience and a shared goal of building on last season's breakthrough. For a franchise that endured years of frustration before finally returning to the postseason, the addition of a seasoned hockey mind like Davidson signals that the organization is serious about turning a promising campaign into sustained success.