The Buffalo Sabres struck gold when they promoted Don Granato to head coach in the middle of a tumultuous March 2021 campaign.
Don Granato has been part of the Buffalo Sabres organization since 2019. And amidst a 1-13 record in March 2021, the Sabres parted ways with Ralph Krueger and inserted Granato as the interim. And since then, Granato has at least returned the team to respectability.
In actuality, that return to respectability started in April 2021. When Granato took over for Krueger, he scraped out a 9-16-3 (21 points) record. Nothing spectacular, but better than Krueger’s 7-18-3 (17 points) mark before the Sabres fired him on March 17th.
However, from March 29th to May 8th 2021, the Sabres, under Granato, finished 9-11-3 (21 points). Their step back earlier this season resulted from the injury bug and COVID-19. But as we saw, when the Sabres became healthy again, they returned to playing respectable hockey.
The Granato Effect saved the Buffalo Sabres
General manager Kevyn Adams could have completely dismantled the team and started over. Instead, Adams kept most of the young core intact allowing Granato to bring out the best in players like Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, and Jeff Skinner, to name a few.
Why is the Granato Effect so effective? It comes from his experience coaching young hockey players. Besides his experience coaching the USA Hockey National Development Program, Granato has also coached in the AHL, ECHL, and NCAA divisions. His extensive background in coaching the game’s youngest prepared him to develop an inexperienced team like the Sabres.
He is the reason Dahlin and Thompson, both of whom were question marks to begin the season, established themselves as talented NHL players. Granato’s experience also helped him with Dylan Cozens and Peyton Krebs. And if Casey Mittelstadt stays healthy next season, don’t be surprised if Granato brings out the best in yet another former first-round pick.
Next season, the Don Granato Effect will make a positive impact on Owen Power, if it has not already done so. Look for Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka to benefit from Granato’s coaching, along with any other Rochester American who earns a spot on the Sabres main roster.
The Sabres drastic improvement when they returned to full-strength this season was no fluke. Something they proved with continued success into April 2022. It is safe to say the Granato Effect will persist into October. And for the Sabres, it is a win, win, win situation.