Don Granato as a HC

[JoeSchmoe]

20 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Granato was given a flaming dog pile to babysit till the end of the season and he's turning then into winners. Don't act like this happens every day. 

Do you know how many crummy Sabre teams made heroic runs in March/April only to suck again in October?

I think it's different this time than all the years you're talking about. In those cases, you just saw a not too bad veteran team getting hot.

In this case, you see a coach taking a long list of seemingly dead prospects, and turning them into legit NHL players in a matter of weeks... and doing so with a depleted veteran core.

[pi2000]

18 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I think it's different this time than all the years you're talking about. In those cases, you just saw a not too bad veteran team getting hot.

In this case, you see a coach taking a long list of seemingly dead prospects, and turning them into legit NHL players in a matter of weeks... and doing so with a depleted veteran core.

He should be a head coach..... in Rochester.

They're playing fast, free and loose.  But in a 7 game series vs Barry Trotz they get smoked.   They need a HC who can continue to generate offense, but also shore up the defensive side of the puck.... not an easy thing to do. 

There's an old saying in Tennessee.... Do better.

Edited April 16, 2021 by pi2000

[Flashsabre]

Let everything play out, there are a dozen games left.  You just added a major new voice in the mix in Karmanos and I believe more voices will be coming in after the season. If the team finishes like this for the next  dozen games then you are stupid not to give him the job.  
 

Granato has completely changed the system and has gotten a bunch of depleted kids who just went thru an 18 game losing streak to believe in themselves.  I think though that the additions of Ellis and Girardi are being overlooked.  This staff has pulled a lot out of a group that other coaches haven’t. Imagine this group with Eichel, McCabe, Ullmark, Girgs playing and Eakin, Reider, Miller, Irwin out.

They took Boston to the shootout and beat Washington with Tokarski in net.

IF the Sabres finish strong like this and the young kids continue to shine and they don’t bring Granato back then they better make damn sure that the next coach isn’t some head strong, play the vets type coach that stunts the kids again.

How many coaching changes do they need to go through?  If the season ends like it is going now then offer Granato a 2 year deal.  Let him continue to develop the kids.  If a couple years from now it looks like they need a different coach to get them over the playoff hump then so be it but this guy is working wonders with what he has been given.

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Flashsabre

[Radar]

9 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't think there is any question Granato will be the head coach next year. The only question is will they give him a longer contract or just continue with a title change. I think the latter, but next year will be his to make or break. 

Kind of what I'm thinking if we continue to play the way we have been. Really makes sense.

[nucci]

17 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

He should be a head coach..... in Rochester.

They're playing fast, free and loose.  But in a 7 game series vs Barry Trotz they get smoked.   They need a HC who can continue to generate offense, but also shore up the defensive side of the puck.... not an easy thing to do. 

There's an old saying in Tennessee.... Do better.

we also need better players

[JoeSchmoe]

20 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

There's an old saying in Tennessee.... Do better.

In my opinion, Granato is as good as it gets for this team. 

I'm curious, who you think might be better, and why? If Trotz was available, that would probably be a good answer. Besides him, I'm not sure if I know any coaches on the market with a long track record of taking a roster, and making it better. Though I don't have all the data in front of me, I'd say all of their successes have come at times when they're working with world class rosters. Maybe not... What do you think?

 

[French Collection]

Granato  deserves to be considered simply because of the rejuvenation I have seen and the growth of the young guys.

I worry about a Julien, Boudreau, Babcock or Gallant coming in and giving ice time to Eakin types because they can “rely” on the vets.

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, French Collection said:

Granato  deserves to be considered simply because of the rejuvenation I have seen and the growth of the young guys.

I worry about a Julien, Boudreau, Babcock or Gallant coming in and giving ice time to Eakin types because they can “rely” on the vets.

I think any coach that says "rely on the vets" should be immediately excluded from Buffalo's coaching search. If you are too dumb as a coach to think that Eakin is giving you more than Cozens or Ruotsalainen than I don't want you in charge of anything. 

[Norcal]

3 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Granato  deserves to be considered simply because of the rejuvenation I have seen and the growth of the young guys.

I worry about a Julien, Boudreau, Babcock or Gallant coming in and giving ice time to Eakin types because they can “rely” on the vets.

That would be a mistake IMO

The kids are emerging, they need a coach/teacher right now to continue to work through their on ice mistakes and develop their games even further. 

When the kids mature, if they need a push to get them over the hump, then make a change. 

 

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

Do you know how many crummy Sabre teams made heroic runs in March/April only to suck again in October? We're so desperate for success, we want to believe this is different. Maybe it is.

I should let it go. Donny Meatballs (kinda diggin' that; slide into his DMs) is the next coach. The almost dying, the redemption angle, the fine young man, the first-timer who owes them: he's Pegula People to a tee.

Well said. I just hope the decision is made dispassionately well after the glow of whatever this is wears off. And I hope it's made by hockey people and not The Fracker and Mary Anne.

Agree on the bold. 

As for the "heroic run to 9th" thing, we haven't had one in so long now that perhaps it's an indication of something actually being different. Here's hoping 

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

He should be a head coach..... in Rochester.

They're playing fast, free and loose.  But in a 7 game series vs Barry Trotz they get smoked.   They need a HC who can continue to generate offense, but also shore up the defensive side of the puck.... not an easy thing to do. 

There's an old saying in Tennessee.... Do better.

Difference between what's right and what's easy? Maybe

The Granato choice will be insanely hard to make if we finish out strong. I'm torn. 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Thorny

[Norcal]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

Agree on the bold. 

As for the "heroic run to 9th" thing, we haven't had one in so long now that perhaps it's an indication of something actually being different. Here's hoping 

Those teams were closer to the Flyers than the current Sabres team. 

Flyers are loaded with vets, poised to make a playoff run and are struggling to barely make it in. 

This Sabres team is young, growing and learning and just hungry to learn how to win right now. 

[Gatorman0519]

We are a young team with even more youth coming in. I can’t see anyone else doing better short term. I mean Mittlestadt and Thompson have been resurrected. Who could of seen that? Give him a 1 year deal and see how next year goes. At least he’s competent. 

[LabattBlue]

7 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

We are a young team with even more youth coming in. I can’t see anyone else doing better short term. I mean Mittlestadt and Thompson have been resurrected. Who could of seen that? Give him a 1 year deal and see how next year goes. At least he’s competent. 

IMO who would agree to a 1 year deal to be an NHL HC?  Just my guess but it would be a 3 year commitment minimum.

[nucci]

18 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

We are a young team with even more youth coming in. I can’t see anyone else doing better short term. I mean Mittlestadt and Thompson have been resurrected. Who could of seen that? Give him a 1 year deal and see how next year goes. At least he’s competent. 

he'll never accept a 1 year deal...no coach will

 

Sorry Blue...didn't see your post

Edited April 16, 2021 by nucci

[Thorner]

31 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

We are a young team with even more youth coming in. I can’t see anyone else doing better short term. I mean Mittlestadt and Thompson have been resurrected. Who could of seen that? Give him a 1 year deal and see how next year goes. At least he’s competent. 

huge egg on my face for Thompson right now admittedly 

[inkman]

1 hour ago, nucci said:

we also need better players

Which need to come through the draft or savvy trades. Free agency is almost always fools gold. 

[LabattBlue]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Free agency is almost always fools gold. 

Especially the big money deals.  A good GM should be able to plug some holes with low end F/A's with low cost/term committments.

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, inkman said:

Which need to come through the draft or savvy trades. Free agency is almost always fools gold. 

I know some do not like Regier but he made great trades

[Stoner]

2 hours ago, pi2000 said:

He should be a head coach..... in Rochester.

They're playing fast, free and loose.  But in a 7 game series vs Barry Trotz they get smoked.   They need a HC who can continue to generate offense, but also shore up the defensive side of the puck.... not an easy thing to do. 

There's an old saying in Tennessee.... Do better.

I was going to say that's a decent compromise, but then I learned it's been 20 years since he was named the top coach in the AHL.

All around the organ-eye-zation, you see promise and possibility: Adams, Karmanos, Granato, Dahlin, Cozens, Mittelstadt, Ullmark (and UPL), Borgenbryson and so on. Hell, I'll throw a bone at the Pegulas and say they show promise, too. They could be excellent owners. What's missing in all this? Mentors. Get the right guy to mentor the front office (Rutherford?); this time, get the right vets to show the kids the way — these have to be the right personalities but they also have to be good hockey players who can ensure the young core doesn't continue to play on crummy teams; not sure who can straighten out the Pegs.

Parts is parts, and we got parts. Someone has to find the recipe for the breading to make them a tasty nugget. I guess I'm back to Rutherford.

[nfreeman]

14 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Something about the guy feels natural and right. Worried that ignoring this will incur another round of wrath from the hockey gods.

 

4 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Do you know how many crummy Sabre teams made heroic runs in March/April only to suck again in October? We're so desperate for success, we want to believe this is different. Maybe it is.

I should let it go. Donny Meatballs (kinda diggin' that; slide into his DMs) is the next coach. The almost dying, the redemption angle, the fine young man, the first-timer who owes them: he's Pegula People to a tee.

Well said. I just hope the decision is made dispassionately well after the glow of whatever this is wears off. And I hope it's made by hockey people and not The Fracker and Mary Anne.

 

Holy mackerel there is a ton of good hockey talk in this thread, not just in these 2 posts.

I didn't think for a minute that DG was the right guy, but how can I not at least start to think that he might be?  It's a great story -- hockey lifer, tons of NHL and AHL experience, tons of experience developing young players, from a hockey family, almost died from the GD virus, finally gets his shot at the show at age 53 with a true doormat team made up of a ragtag group of kids, cynical vets and underperformers, plus The One from the territories...

We need to be smart about this, as PA points out, but still.  The hockey gods really might be offering us a lifeline here.

 

[Brawndo]

I prefer they hire Boudreau or Gallant with Tony Granato remaining as an Associate Head Coach. 
 

That being said I would rather have Granato over many others in the field. 

[nfreeman]

5 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I prefer they hire Boudreau or Gallant with Tony Granato remaining as an Associate Head Coach. 
 

That being said I would rather have Granato over many others in the field. 

So not only do you not want to give him the job, you want to can him and hire his brother?

That's cold, sir.

[LGR4GM]

***** it, I am on the bandwagon. 

 

[pi2000]

The young guns are being allowed to stretch their wings... that's great.     They look excellent, I'm all for whatever he's doing with them, they're 1000% more fun to watch and with above average goaltending they're winning some games.

That's all fantastic.... but let's not kid ourselves.

They're catching teams off-guard right now, but once that wears off, and teams start actually game-planning for their attacking style, they're going to have to adjust... even focus on playing a more defensive game at times depending on the matchup.    Can Donny adjust and stay ahead of the curve?   I don't know, maybe, maybe not... that's why you have to continue to seriously evaluate your options at the HC position, especially when there are proven veterans available.