Former Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill might get another chance at the helm as he is a finalist for the San Jose Sharks job.
Jason Botterill’s tenure with the Buffalo Sabres was turbulent. During his stint in Buffalo, the Sabres never finished higher than sixth in the Atlantic Division. They also put up no more than 76 points in a single season.
But that hasn’t stopped the San Jose Sharks from giving Botterill a look. Having served as an NHL executive since 2007, Botterill won three Stanley Cups as the assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, a position he held until 2017. Perhaps this experience is the driving force of why the Sharks are giving Botterill a look as no one, even the Buffalo faithful, can deny the guy’s success in Pittsburgh.
Former Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill getting a look from San Jose
The Seattle Kraken gave Botterill a second chance in 2021 when they hired him on as the assistant general manager. They cited Botterill’s experience as one of the deciding factors in his hiring. His success in Pittsburgh also factored into the decision.
As for the Sharks, sources stated his hardworking demeanor and attention to detail enticed them. They further cited his character and hocky IQ as further reasons for giving him such a look.
If Botterill gets the job, he will be tasked with leading a team that finds itself in rebuilding mode and is a far cry from a franchise that dominated the Western Conference between 2015-16 and 2018-19. Since 2019-20, however, the Sharks have failed to qualify for the postseason.
Despite his horrific tenure with the Sabres during his first go around at general manager, Botterill has a lot of support from all over the NHL. And at just 45 years of age, he has time to redeem himself in the position.
Overall, the Sharks have 12 finalists for the job, per NBC Sports. Before he dived into NHL management, Botterill had a forgettable career as a winger, appearing in 88 games and scoring 14 points. The Dallas Stars selected him in the first round of the 1994 NHL Draft.