Sabres Karmanos Getting Second Interview For Penguins GM Job

Buffalo Sabres assistant GM Jason Karmanos is getting a longer look from the Pittsburgh Penguins for their vacant GM job, according to the Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.

Karmanos served in management with Carolina under his father Peter’s ownership when the Hurricanes won the Cup in 2006 and spent six seasons with Pittsburgh as the club’s vice president of hockey operations and assistant GM under Jim Rutherford before joining Kevyn Adams in Buffalo in 2021.

Other candidates being interviewed by the Penguins are Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky, Tampa Bay assistant Mathieu Darche, New Jersey assistant Dan MacKinnon, and Dallas Director of Scouting Steve Greeley, who served as assistant GM to Jason Botterill in Buffalo.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Pittsburgh is expected to reach out to request permission to speak to former Toronto GM Kyle Dubas, who was let go by the Maple Leafs on Friday. The Penguins and Leafs GM vacancies are the only remaining in the league, as Craig Conroy was announced as the new Calgary Flames GM on Sunday.

Savoie Assigned To Amerks

Sabres 2022 first-round pick Matthew Savoie has been assigned to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League upon completion of his WHL season.

The Buffalo Sabres have assigned forward Matt Savoie to the Rochester Americans (AHL).

— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) May 21, 2023

Savoie’s Winnipeg Ice fell one step short of playing in the Memorial Cup after being eliminated by the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.

The 19-year-old center was the Sabres ninth overall selection last July in Montreal and scored 95 points (38 goals, 57 assists) in 62 games for the Ice this season and led the club in playoff scoring with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 20 games.

There is no indication whether Savoie will see any action with the Americans, who take on the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Final starting Tuesday.  It could be an opportunity for the Sabres to see how close the youngster is to being ready for the pros since he will not be eligible to play in the American Hockey League next season.

The Sabres assigned another 2022 top pick Noah Ostlund to Rochester after his season in the Swedish Hockey League finished, but Ostlund has not played.