The Buffalo Sabres have hired recently retired Milan Lucic as a pro scout, completing a dramatic shift from his days as a Sabres antagonist to organizational insider. Lucic, 38, ended a 17-year NHL career after spending his first eight seasons with Boston, where he won the 2011 Stanley Cup before becoming public enemy number one in Buffalo.

The hiring carries irony given Lucic's history with the organization. During a November 2011 game, Lucic checked Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, causing a neck injury that sidelined Miller for weeks. Miller famously called the hit "gutless" afterward, while Sabres players faced criticism for not protecting their star netminder. Now Lucic will work under Jarmo Kekalainen, Buffalo's first-year general manager.

The Sabres announced multiple front office moves alongside Lucic's hiring. Stacy Roest earned promotion to director of player personnel and GM of the Rochester Americans. Tim Kennedy becomes director of player development, joined by Derek Dorsett as forward development coach. Jarkko Ruutu takes over European development duties, reuniting with Kekalainen after their time together in Columbus. Neil Komadoski arrives from Vancouver after 16 scouting seasons.

This represents Kekalainen's first major restructuring since taking over Buffalo's hockey operations, bringing in experienced voices from across the league while leveraging connections from his previous stops.