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

[MOGlLNY]

JQ is definitely my ideal selection. Highly highly doubt it happens though.

 

[Chainshot]

But it is personal, just like it was in the film.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

I was just thinking…

Of all the coaches the Sabres have fired under Pegula’s ownership, I believe the only one to be hired as an NHL head coach again by another team was Lindy…

Just shows how terrible their coaching hires have been!

I’m not sure Granato breaks that trend either. I’d be somewhat surprised if he got another NHL head coaching job right away. Maybe after spending some time as an assistant.
I think he’d be a good AHL head coach.

Edit - and just to be clear, I think he did a good job developing some of Buffalo’s young players. He was probably the best coach the Sabres have hired under Pegula.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

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.

I'm talking about one particular coach, who's probably the best one not coaching right now. If we're talking Boudreau, that's a different story.

 

[Matt Ress]

Just do it quickly so that these kids have a better conditioning summer with concrete direction so that they don't come out in October looking like hungover Keystone Cops.

 

[Jim Bob]

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.

Then toward the end of the 45-minute interview, Quenneville blew a tire.

“I had a miss in 2010 and I own it,” he said. “At the same time, I believe there’s a place for me in the game.”

A miss. A miss. A miss is having too many men on the ice. A miss is making the wrong matchup decision in a playoff game. This was far more than a mere miss.

And so here is Quenneville, the second-winningest coach in NHL history. He admits he did wrong, but he also clearly still feels wronged. He’s put in long hours educating himself on workplace culture and power dynamics and he said he’s spoken with Beach, but he also still sometimes uses the careless, callous words of someone who hasn’t learned.

Quenneville wants a second chance. He wants to chase 1,000 wins and Scotty Bowman. And it’s left for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman — and the hockey world — to figure out how much he’s really changed, and to work out for themselves how much he really deserves reinstatement. What wins the internal debate? Emotion? Empathy? Or mere resignation?

If it weren't for all this, I think he would be a potential option if Adams and Pegula were willing to hire an outside veteran coach. I just doubt the Sabres want to go there.

 

[Zman5778]

JQ is definitely my ideal selection. Highly highly doubt it happens though.

He's certainly the archetype. Agreed that I don't think it'll be JQ.

So....we need someone who is the most reasonable facsimile to JQ....without the baggage.

 

[Zman5778]

I'm talking about one particular coach, who's probably the best one not coaching right now. If we're talking Boudreau, that's a different story.

I don't think we want JQ. But I think JQ would jump at the opportunity to be here.

 

[old kummelweck]

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

I don't love the coaching market right now.

 

[Faceboner]

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.

Buffalo does have high end talent might be a good spot for Q to get back in he would have a relatively young yet experienced group of guys to work with

 

[Zman5778]

I don't love the coaching market right now.

Not sure why. There are a LOT of veteran HCs available that coach with the edge that this group needs.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

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.

100%. this offseason is make or break for Adams future as GM

 

[Chainshot]

I was just thinking…

Of all the coaches the Sabres have fired under Pegula’s ownership, I believe the only one to be hired as an NHL head coach again by another team was Lindy…

Just shows how terrible their coaching hires have been!

I’m not sure Granato breaks that trend either. I’d be somewhat surprised if he got another NHL head coaching job right away. Maybe after spending some time as an assistant.
I think he’d be a good AHL head coach.

Bylsma went to Team US and then to Detroit as an assistant. Housley immediately moved into position as assistant in Arizona, is associate HC in NY with the Rangers. Bylsma is HC for Coachella in the AHL and has had his team near the top of the standings two years. Rolston is associate head coach at Providence and the Friars are one of the better programs in Hockey East - much more his tier.

Granato was an assistant before and might be a choice if a team is looking to try to unf*** some broken youngsters or unlock some who aren't yet to their potential. That will probably have appeal for some staff like San Jose or Chicago or even whoever winds up running Columbus... where he was once a player.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

100%. this offseason is make or break for Adams future as GM

It leads me to believe he’d be less likely to hire another first time HC. But who knows.

 

[TehDoak]

Show your work.

Don't worry, he already walked it back.

No I haven't.

It's very clearly the Pegula's decision.

This isn't a two vote situation.

If Adams wants to fire him, and the Pegula's don't, he stays.

If Adams wants to keep him and the Pegula's want him gone, he's gone.

Only one voice matters. And Adams voice only matters if the Pegulas say it does.

 

[Faceboner]

Just do it quickly so that these kids have a better conditioning summer with concrete direction so that they don't come out in October looking like hungover Keystone Cops.

Hopefully these guys get into groups and push eachother in the off-season. Training is all about competing against yourself and that affect tends to get amplified when you're doing that in a group of peers

 

[Gabrielor]

They can't run out another rookie bench boss.

I won't react well.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

No I haven't.

It's very clearly the Pegula's decision.

This isn't a two vote situation.

If Adams wants to fire him, and the Pegula's don't, he stays.

If Adams wants to keep him and the Pegula's want him gone, he's gone.

Only one voice matters. And Adams voice only matters if the Pegulas say it does.

How do you know Adams hasn't been making the case for firing Granato all season, and Terry needed to be convinced?

 

[BuffaloMango]

I am never happy to see anyone lose their job, but this had to happen.

It’s hard to get excited though until I see who they replace him with. I have a bad feeling it’s going to be Seth Appert and they’ll try to add an experienced asst. coach for him. Sure hope I’m wrong! lol

They absolutely NEED an experienced head coach.

Matt Ellis has entered the chat.

 

[Willgamesh]

The firings of Jason Christie and Matt Smith were part of the announcement.

Oh God I thought Ellis was done ruining my life .

 

[Zman5778]

No I haven't.

It's very clearly the Pegula's decision.

This isn't a two vote situation.

If Adams wants to fire him, and the Pegula's don't, he stays.

If Adams wants to keep him and the Pegula's want him gone, he's gone.

Only one voice matters. And Adams voice only matters if the Pegulas say it does.

What about the most likely option?

That Adams wanted to fire DG and Pegula was fine with it? That doesn't mean it's Pegula's decision.....just means that Pegula is fine paying DG not to coach us anymore.

And frankly.......most NHL GMs will consult their owner before firing any HC.

 

[Chainshot]

I won't react well.

Same. For a team that has simply walked down the hall a couple times in this stretch... gotta do something else.

And issue with the idea of Q as coach beyond just the swirl of the scandal... he's been out of coaching for three years.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I won't react well.

I just can't see it happening. Even Adams statement about letting Donnie go suggests he'd like to go in a different direction.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

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.

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I can believe him...

When the report was released, I remember reading a couple black ace's stated that they over heard Beach openly discussing to other players that he and Aldridge had a fun evening with the young lady making it sound like it was consensual. I think there was a lot of confusion on what exactly was going on behind close doors.

 

[Matt Ress]

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.

It's also an opportunity to be an all star head coach. (Presumably) Good goaltending, a very talented defense corp and a young underachieving forward group with a stocked prospect pool and a rabid fan base. Pretty clearly organization and preparation would get this team over the hump.