Fansided

Sabres news: Who is the Sabres new interim head coach?

By Jacob LeBlanc |
BUFFALO, NY - JANUARY 26: Head coach Ralph Krueger of the Buffalo Sabres watches play from the bench during the second period against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center on January 26 , 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - JANUARY 26: Head coach Ralph Krueger of the Buffalo Sabres watches play from the bench during the second period against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center on January 26 , 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)

They did it. They finally did it. It only took 12 straight losses and the season becoming an out-of-control downwards spiral that was so extreme they have no shot at the playoffs, but the Buffalo Sabres have moved on from Ralph Krueger.

The Sabres announced this morning that they would have Don Granato act as their interim head coach for the rest of the season. Granato was initially hired as an assistant coach for Buffalo in 2019 shortly after now-former head coach Ralph Krueger was hired.

Prior to holding any positions in the National Hockey League, Granato held multiple positions in lower leagues that he found plenty of success with. His first hockey coaching position was being a head coach in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He was a head coach from 1993 to 1997, and he coached two teams in his time spent within the USHL, the Green Bay Gramblers, and Wisconsin Capitals.

He then moved to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), where he won a championship as the Peoria Riverman’s head coach in 2000. After this championship, he became the head coach of the Worcester IceCats in the American Hockey League (AHL). During the 2000-2001 season, Granato won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award, which is given to the most outstanding AHL coach.

After five seasons with the IceCats, he got his first shot in the NHL as an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues. Since then, he has held the position of head coach for the USA National Team Development Program, the assistant coach of the Wisconsin Badgers men’s hockey team, and became an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.

So there is no questioning Granato’s experience. But the Sabres have made it clear that this is only an interim position, so they will conduct a proper job search this offseason to find who they hope to be a quality head coach.

dark. Next. Sabres having trouble selling their limited tickets

Buffalo is now on their sixth head coach since 2013 and will be interviewing new candidates this offseason for the position. This will be a massive offseason for the Sabres, as they will likely be hiring a new head coach, and they will have to decide if they will re-sign Taylor Hall and if they plan on keeping star center Jack Eichel.

Home / Sabres News