The Buffalo Sabres appear to have regressed in 2023-24, so is it enough to put head coach Don Granato on the hot seat for the remainder of the season?
Buffalo Sabres fans entered 2023-24 full of hope, and that hope seemed to vanquish following a pair of rough games to open the season, and it has yet to re-ignite. While the Blue and Gold have played better hockey at times, we once again found out last night in their loss to the Colorado Avalanche that they are still an inconsistent bunch.
When teams churn out better results over the past couple of seasons since a head coach took the job before stagnating, such is the case of the Sabres this year, they are often the first ones fans glower at. The media also speculates on their ultimate fate, like ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, who earlier today ranked each NHL coach by how hot their seat currently is.
Since Granato has been around for two full seasons and roughly half of another with zero playoff appearances and a stagnating team, his seat was by no means cold in Wyshynski’s rankings. But it also wasn’t hot, as Granato along with two others fell into the “Getting Warmer” category.
Source: NHL head coach hot seat heat index: Who’s in most trouble?
Buffalo Sabres head coach’s seat isn’t quite hot according to one analyst
In his reasoning, Wyshynski quoted a familiar face on the issue, and that’s none other than Mike Harrington of Buffalo News. Here is what Harrington stated regarding Granato’s future with the Blue and Gold:
"“Still, he is signed through 2026, so fans looking for a coaching change are going to be disappointed. Terry Pegula wants to get out of the market of paying guys not to coach. And the fact is the Sabres are in this mess because Pegula has been turfing coaches and GMs every couple of years for the last decade, a surefire way to get zero continuity in your organization.”"
Source: Inside the NHL: Don Granato is going nowhere but still has to figure out a way to get Sabres moving
Therefore, regardless of what happens with the Buffalo Sabres this season, don’t count on general manager Kevyn Adams and owner Terry Pegula to hand Granato his walking papers. It is true that the margin of error is getting slimmer for Granato, as it should be, but the length of Granato’s contract alone implies all parties in the Sabres brass are craving stability.
Now, if Granato missed the playoffs in 2024-25, then there is a much greater case for the Sabres to let him go. At which point, they would only need to pay him for another season, and they could easily afford to pay off his remaining balance while bringing in a new face. But as far as 2023-24 goes, count Granato to return next season, even if the Sabres continue at their current pace.