Confirmed with Link: Granato Out (Jason Christie & Matt Smith also let go, Ellis being reassigned)

[CaliSabresfan24]

Wow...

Obviously it had to be done but I'm shocked they actually did it.

Although its the right move for the organization, I was really hoping Donny could be the guy for years but he clearly lost the room.

Thank you Donny for developing our young players and turning some into stars but they need a coach that can kick them in the ass from time to time. Its going to be interesting to see who they hire now..

 

[start winnin]

Thank you Donny Meatballs for all you did, I really wish you saw a playoff game but it was not meant to be wish you the best

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Going with a fourth straight first time NHL head coach would be the most on-brand moment of the Pegula ownership.

Exactly! You got it right to fire Granato and the whole staff but JC for once hire a coach with legit NHL, Stanley cup playoff experience!

 

[joshjull]

Rink Fries: Questions remain on Arizona's hockey future with Coyotes on move

Until we see the specifics of the NHL’s agreement with Alex Meruelo and his window of five years to bring hockey back to Arizona all we’ll have is questions about hockey returning to the desert.

www.sportsnet.ca

"...if the Buffalo Sabres do make a coaching change, I wonder if they turn to Rochester Americans head coach Seth Appert along with a veteran assistant."

Marek officially putting himself on the map as one of the few Sabres insiders. Looking forward to TJMS today

From the wider hockey world, speculating that Donny might get fired seems fairly logical. I don’t think it requires inside info to come up with that.

Maybe he is an insider. I just don’t think this is much of an example to support that. Now if they follow through with the entirety of what he said…. Then it would be safe to say he is.

 

[KeydGV21]

Veteran coaches know that a bottom 5 payroll and a roster that is bottom 5 in experience is way more than a challenge.

And with regards to Adams, the conversations between him and a veteran coaching candidate with options will be about what his plans are to improve the roster this offseason. If Adams tells them that his plan is to add a 4C and promote Kulich or Savoie, that is unlikely to go over well. And that patient, draft, develop, and promote from within has been the Adams approach to this point.

That might not be all that attractive to a coaching candidate.

And who knows what the roster looks like to certain coaches when compared to other options that they might have. This roster had zero players break the 60 point or 30 goal marks this season.

And if Tage didn’t miss 11 games and/or have a busted wrist most of the season, he hits both…

If our power play wasnt a debacle, which presumably the coach should fix,Peterka likely hits 30, Dahlin definitely hits 60, Quinn’s pace 27/57 would also likely be over 30/60 with a decent power play. Tuch gets there if he doesn’t miss time and/or a better power play…

So if that’s what the coach is worried about, I’m glad he doesn’t want to come here because he has no faith in his system…

 

[Chainshot]

I take it that Wilford and Ellis are on expiring contracts? The guy responsible for 1.5 years of a failed PP and the dude who had all of his guys but one take a step back on the blueline weren't also shown the door makes me wonder.

 

[Jim Bob]

If they hire Appert, this GIF is going to get posted a lot:

 

[Chainshot]

Actually! You got it right to fire Granato and the whole staff but JC for once hire a coach with legit NHL, Stanley cup playoff experience!

They can't run out another rookie bench boss.

 

[Chainshot]

Thanks Donnie for a decent run with a young crew. I'll have some positive memories of him moving forward, though it was 100% time to move on. Always appreciated his passion and individual development, but always wished for more in-game and planning.

Jeremy White saying his Super Secret Sabres Source thinks retaining Ellis and Wilford hints at Appert getting the promotion. I don't think that's what any of us want and I have a hard time believing that Adams doesn't see the need for experience behind the bench and a new voice. And no Adams isn't going anywhere this off-season. He deserves a chance to jump this build into the next phase this summer, which was always the plan imo

This is going to shock the players, hopefully in a positive way and into a summer dedicated to improvement.

Retaining the assistant responsible for the PP that is a key failure AND keeping the assistant who had all but one of his guys take a step back this year is certainly a choice. If this is the path, they are bigger fools than waiting five months to sack Don.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

I guess Pegula is willing to eat Granato’s contract.

Some folks will need to recalibrate their narratives

[narrative recalibrate] Terry is too cheap to pay Granato for 2.5 years to not coach instead of only 2 years! [/narrative recalibrate]

 

[Zman5778]

I wonder if given all the rumblings around Appert..........

I cannot imagine KA being dumb enough to hire him as HC. But I do wonder if maybe he's an "enforced" assistant coach to the new Head Coach. As in....if you take this job, Seth Appert will be one of your assistants.

Which kind of makes some sense, as traditionally the GM does get major say in one assistant hire while he stays out of the others and lets the new HC pick.

 

[Jim Bob]

They can't run out another rookie bench boss.

12 months ago people told be they couldn't run back the bulk of the roster again.

Kevyn Adams said, "Challenge accepted!"

Please don't issue Kevyn Adams a challenge like that.

 

[RefsIdeas]

If the move is to hire Appert - I truly don’t get it. He seems like the same style of coach as Granato. What would Adams expect to change?

Appert is a good AHL coach right now. Heck, he might even deserve a shot in the NHL. But maybe with a team like the Sharks or the Blackhawks. We’re not in a rebuilding mode - it just would make zero sense to me.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

One thing that has to be a factor in this coaching search is that it’s Adams’s last bite at the apple. He has to get it right or he’s out next.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'm fairly sure Matt Ellis' contract is either up or they're going to bury him in the press box. I highly highly doubt he is coaching behind the bench again.

For all we know, Ellis was complaining to Adams about the dumb things Granato was making him do. Just like Donny was forced to go against his philosophies under Krueger.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

I’m pulling for Gallant. Other than his years in CBJ, his record is crazy good.

From what I’ve read about him I’m not sure he would be the right fit.

I read he is a players coach that relies on his veteran players to lead, and that he’s not good at X’s and O’s & in game adjustments.

 

[Fjordy]

Berube
Gallant
Q (It is doubtful that Adams will agree to this)
Lindy
Boudreau
Julien
Evason

Not novice please, but Appert maybe not bad how as. coach.

 

[TehDoak]

Lazerus: Does Joel Quenneville deserve a second chance? Does it even matter?

Joel Quenneville's attempt to get another NHL head coaching job conjures complicated feelings.

theathletic.com

He would need to get approval from the NHL first. Given how much value that Pegula puts on character, I doubt they go that route.

It really depends on how much you believe Quenneville's side of the story.

He essentially said it was one meeting where he received vague details (noting about an assault, just that they had a relationship) about it in the middle of the playoffs. He said he felt the front office was handling it so he didn't dig any deeper. Said he regrets it now and should have been better.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with Quenneville, as long as he's being truthful about what happened and is committed to making changes so it wouldn't happen again. He wasn't the one committing the assault, he didn't do anything to cover it up. If he's to be believed, his biggest crime is he didn't ask more questions and do more.

 

[pigpen65]

Granato was a great developmental coach. All of the developing players developed positively under Granato. Even UPL. So far it hasn't made sense to move away from a developmental coach because the roster hasn't moved away from a developmental roster. Let's hope this is a sign Adams is serious about actually GM'ing this offseason and not just bringing in a soon to retire Erik Johnson or career AHLer Eric Comrie to babysit the new crop of 18-20 year olds

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'll be stunned if the next HC is anyone besides Appert or Lindy, as they'll either be cheap/indebted to Kevyn and by extension Pegula, in Appert's case, or someone Terry's familiar with.

Agreed, but I wouldn't count out both of them being behind the bench too.

 

[Faceboner]

Don Granato is 5th on the all time sabres win list (3 wins behind Muckler). He also coached them to their two highest point totals in the past decade. Let that nugget of mediocrity sink in for a few minutes...

He has been better than Bylsma, Housley and Krueger and slightly better than Nolan so hopefully we get a vet coach to bad torts is signed with Philly we can still get ruff though he would have fun with our roster

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

It really depends on how much you believe Quenneville's side of the story.

He essentially said it was one meeting where he received vague details (noting about an assault, just that they had a relationship) about it in the middle of the playoffs. He said he felt the front office was handling it so he didn't dig any deeper. Said he regrets it now and should have been better.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with Quenneville, as long as he's being truthful about what happened and is committed to making changes so it wouldn't happen again. He wasn't the one committing the assault, he didn't do anything to cover it up. If he's to be believed, his biggest crime is he didn't ask more questions and do more.

This is sad but I doubt even a coach in purgatory of his caliber would even want to coach in Buffalo. He's a best case scenario imo.

 

[Zman5778]

Granato was a great developmental coach. All of the developing players developed positively under Granato. Even UPL.

Yep. I don't think we should lose sight of this.

Donnie did wonders with the young kids on the roster. They all developed nicely under his tutelage, even if many took a half-step back production-wise this year. He was the right coach at the right time. But he's no longer the right coach.

Time to find the next right coach at the right time.

 

[Zman5778]

This is sad but I doubt even a coach in purgatory of his caliber would even want to coach in Buffalo. He's a best case scenario imo.

There's 32 head coaching jobs. We have a young, moldable roster. Maybe there's one or two veteran high-caliber HCs who wouldn't want to come here.

Personally, I think good candidates will be lining up to come here.

 

[vcv]

Show your work.

Don't worry, he already walked it back.