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

[Sabre Dance]

I think Terry making this call means he's hopefully ready to spend

As of now they’re spending a lot less on the football team than the last few years. I guess his other team is ready for some attention.

 

[slip]

Just make it Lindy. Lindy return makes an impossible amount of sense.

I just don't see the need to get the old band back together. They weren't that good.

 

[Jim Bob]

Click through for some PR quotes from Adams.

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

Very sad things didn't work with Donnie long term. He seems like a genuinely good dude and his impact on turning the team around is undeniable.

That said, this was probably needed. But if they just promote Appert or Ellis or something then I am going to be more than a little miffed.

 

[Ace]

I think it could end up being Appert…he’s certainly their safety net on it and possible inevitability down the line. But I still wonder on Lindy. If Pegula was going to sign off on it…I wonder if that was the thing that was going to make him do it. There’s no way they haven’t talked to him. He lives here and it’s been months of us circling the drain. You’d think obviously want him in he organization in some form. Maybe they decided he can stabilize the coaching end before moving him up. The idea of putting him on the bench with Don was never going to work. Chants would break out in preseason

 

[Gabrielor]

Lindy with Appert as an assistant and the potential replacement in a couple of years is an interesting path to take. Although, they might like Appert in Rochester...

Lindy in Buf. New staff.

Appert stays in Roch as the heir apparent.

 

[vcv]

Lets be clear about this, this wasn't Adams decision.

This was the Pegula's deciding enough was enough.

And its encouraging, because it means the Pegulas at least are still aware the Sabres exist.

What evidence do you have that Adams wasn’t given a choice?

 

[TehDoak]

On Lindy.....I actually like him a lot more as a front office member than I do a head coach. Heck, place him above Adams in the "President of Hockey Ops' title we all want. A fresh set of eyes to evaluate.

 

[paulmm3]

Awesome. Granato seems like a good guy, no hard feelings. I think he could coach older, more experienced in the league and maybe more independently motivated players better. But he wasn't the right coach for the Sabres.

 

[vcv]

My biggest concern is that they had a team that was bottom 5 in both payroll and experience this season and we might not see changes in the roster that change that this offseason.

If they once again have a young team, they need a staff that has experience making the NHL playoffs to lead the way and fix the things that need fixing beyond just the PP and in game adjustments.

The folding when expectations were raised, them going 0-6 when they were within 4 pts of a WC spot, and the maddening inconsistencies early in the year are all things that the next staff needs to know what to do to snap this team out of the slow starting funk they had and take that next step, IMO.

All good points, but my comment was in the context of coaching concerns

 

[Jim Bob]

Lindy in Buf. New staff.

Appert stays in Roch as the heir apparent.

I don't like the idea of Appert ever going from HC in the AHL to HC in the NHL given that his only NHL experience is when Granato was sick.

He only has 4 years as the Rochester head coach as the sum total of his pro coaching experience. And the schedule and rhythms and needs in the NHL are very different than the AHL. If they view Appert as the heir apparent, I think he would learn a ton and be better prepared if he were on the NHL staff as an assistant or associate coach.

 

[Fezzy126]

I think Terry making this call means he's hopefully ready to spend

The claims about him not be willing to spend have always been nonsense

 

[Jim Bob]

All good points, but my comment was in the context of coaching concerns

Those are coaching concerns, though.

What you need from a coach is driven by what you have on the roster and the expectations you have for the team.

The claims about him not be willing to spend have always been nonsense

If Appert or Ellis are the next head coach, those questions will still be out there.

 

[RefsIdeas]

The things Devils fans have said about Lindy make me pretty nervous. Doesn’t like to play the young guys, and we have by far the youngest team in the NHL. Not too dissimilar about what shortcomings ultimately were here and with Dallas.

To be clear - I think he’s a better coach than Granato. He could probably get us to the playoffs. I don’t think he takes us much further than that though.

 

[BFLO]

Please not a rookie or Lindy.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The claims about him not be willing to spend have always been nonsense

I think there's certainly some shackles on ability to spend but not like some claim.

 

[TehDoak]

What evidence do you have that Adams wasn’t given a choice?

Because the Pegulas are going to be paying Granato for the next two years not to coach. So they have the final say. Adams could have said "I think we should get a new coach" but without the Pegula's approval, its not happening.

 

[Jim Bob]

The things Devils fans have said about Lindy make me pretty nervous. Doesn’t like to play the young guys, and we have by far the youngest team in the NHL. Not too dissimilar about what shortcomings ultimately were here and with Dallas.

To be clear - I think he’s a better coach than Granato. He could probably get us to the playoffs. I don’t think he takes us much further than that though.

The Sabres have missed the playoffs for 13 straight seasons. All they need from the next head coach is to make the playoffs in 2024-25.

 

[Gabrielor]

The claims about him not be willing to spend have always been nonsense

I think there's merit to him going cheaper post covid.

They traded for Ben Bishop's cap hit to make the salary FLOOR in 22-23.

I just didn't agree that it was permanent. I always thought he'd spend again when the team got better. His ego.

 

[paulmm3]

I hear Darryl Sutter's looking for a job and doesn't take too kindly to soft play or loafing.

 

[BloFan4Life]

I need to know more on what is going on with Ellis. If it's Lindy coming aboard, it makes sense to keep Ellis around. If they are going to conduct a new search, it makes zero sense why he is here.

I also don't think you fire Donny this quickly if you are just going to promote Appert.

 

[HOOats]

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.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Bruce Boudreau please, he has taken almost every team to the playoffs, I get the resentment that he cant win in the playoffs but the Sabres need to get there first.

 

[Fezzy126]

I think there's merit to him going cheaper post covid.

They traded for Ben Bishop's cap hit to make the salary FLOOR in 22-23.

I just didn't agree that it was permanent. I always thought he'd spend again when the team got better. His ego.

Almost every business owner (not just sports, all businesses) cut costs during and post covid. The fact that we reset the rebuild at that time as well created the perfect storm for this narrative.

Hiring guys like Karmanos and Ventura, as well as all the long term extensions should have put this silly narrative to bed.

Back to the coaching discussion, pencil me down for Peca.

I'm not the type that has the pendulum reaction, I never want the disciplinarian, I never want the retread.

Give me the next great coach and let him grow with the boys.

 

[Meichel Kane]

On Lindy.....I actually like him a lot more as a front office member than I do a head coach. Heck, place him above Adams in the "President of Hockey Ops' title we all want. A fresh set of eyes to evaluate.

Yeah, I'm feeling Lindy in an amorphous front office role. That might mean they end up rolling with another inexperienced HC, though (Peca? Appert?).