Firing Don Granato should be the first of many offseason moves

After failing to make the postseason for a 13th straight year, the Buffalo Sabres didn't waste any time making changes within the organization.

Buffalo fired head coach Don Granato along with assistant coach Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith. It did not take long for moves to be made as the Sabres' season ended yesterday. When it comes to Granato, he doesn't deserve all of the blame but he had to go. With the club owning the longest playoff drought in the NHL, changes needed to happen.

Here are my thoughts on Granato. First and foremost, I will always respect him for what he did. He came in relief for Ralph Krueger and installed a culture you want to have on a hockey team. The minute he took over, players started to look like the players we envisioned.

While I wish him the best in his future endeavors, it was time to let him go. In the 274 games he coached, Buffalo went 122-112-27. Even though they missed the playoffs, Granato did lead the Sabres to winning records in back-to-back seasons. With that being said, this should be the first of MANY offseason moves for Buffalo.

Granato deserved some of the blame, but not all of it. The players loved playing for Donny but at the end of the day, they were not good enough. They took a step back this season and as a result, Buffalo is looking for their 8th coach in 13 years.

This is going to be a CRUCIAL offseason for general manager Kevyn Adams. I expect other coaches to be let go and the roster needs a renovation. It's ridiculous that the Sabres are looking for another coach once again. While it needed to happen, it's frustrating.

Letting go of Granato, Christie and Smith was the start. It's time for Buffalo to do some Spring cleaning, both in management and on the roster. 13 years is long enough and hopefully, they hire the right guy who will end the postseason drought.

Coaching record credited to Hockey Reference.