Former Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato was selected Wednesday to lead the Team USA coaching staff at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in May.
"Don is an excellent coach who brings a wealth of experience," U.S. general manager Brett Peterson said. "He really understands the international hockey landscape and what it takes to win."
Granato spent four seasons with the Sabres. He compiled a 122-125-27 record (.495 points percentage) in 274 games behind the bench. He nearly guided Buffalo to its first playoff appearance since 2011 in 2022-23, when the team missed the NHL postseason by a single point.
The Blue and Gold are set to finally end that Stanley Cup Playoffs drought this season under the guidance of head coach Lindy Ruff, who returned in 2024 for a second stint in the role.
Granato has a long history within USA Hockey, highlighted by a four-year stint leading the National Team Development Program coaching staff beginning in 2013.
"I'm honored to be asked to coach our men's national team," Granato said. "Anytime you have the opportunity to represent your country, it's incredibly meaningful. I'm excited to work with our players and staff in building a team that represents our country well and competes for a gold medal."
A reunion between Don Granato and Tage Thompson at the 2026 Hockey World Championships isn't guaranteed
Thompson helped Team USA finish atop the podium at last year's IIHF World Championship, memorably scoring the game-winning overtime goal in a 1-0 win over Switzerland in the championship game.
The Sabres superstar's performance in that tournament (nine points in 10 games) helped him earn a spot in the U.S. roster for the Olympics. He continued his impressive run of success for the Americans at the Milano Cortina Games, scoring three goals during the team's run to a gold medal.
Thompson would obviously have a place on the World Championship roster if he wanted it, but it feels unlikely he'll play in the event for a few reasons.
First, Buffalo is aiming to make a deep run in the NHL playoffs. Doing so would mean the Blue and Gold are still playing when the international tournament takes place beginning May 15.
Second, it's been a busy couple of years for the 6-foot-6 offensive dynamo.
Thompson played 76 games for the Sabres in 2024-25, took part in the World Championships last spring and is on pace to appear in every Buffalo game during the current campaign. Add in the Olympic run, which occurred while most NHL players were enjoying a three-week break, and he could probably benefit from some extra time off whenever the season ends.
The 28-year-old Arizona native may wait to see how the Sabres season ends before making a final decision about representing the U.S. again, though.
Getting to reunite with Granato, who helped him blossom into a high-scoring force at the NHL level, may get him to consider making the trip to Switzerland if Buffalo is knocked out of the playoffs early.
The Sabres have been the NHL's best team since early December, however. They've posted a 33-6-3 record over their past 42 games, which helped them skyrocket from last place in the Eastern Conference into a race of the East's top seed.
Thompson and Co. will attempt to parlay that into a long postseason stay, and perhaps even a chance at bringing a Stanley Cup title to Buffalo.