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Is Don Granato the best coach the Sabres have had since Lindy Ruff?


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Posted
2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It still crazy to think that DG was on RK’s staff.  How historically bad was RK?

RK broke Rasmus Dahlin to the point that fans wanted Dahlin traded and were willing to accept mediocre offers for him. RK is the worst coach in Sabres history and should be treated like the pariah he is. 

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Posted
1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It still crazy to think that DG was on RK’s staff.  How historically bad was RK?

Listening to and seeing implemented DG's philosophies about how the game is to be played, how did DG ever manage to get through that year and a half under Krueger? Almost polar opposites in approach to the game. Did DG have to suppress/subordinate his own coaching methods? Had to be quite awkward at times. And one has to wonder during that period of time if the players were looking at DG thinking 'I wish that guy was our coach'.

And wasn't it KA who assigned Granato to Krueger's staff? Kudos to him if so.

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Posted
2 minutes ago, JustOneParade said:

Listening to and seeing implemented DG's philosophies about how the game is to be played, how did DG ever manage to get through that year and a half under Krueger? Almost polar opposites in approach to the game. Did DG have to suppress/subordinate his own coaching methods? Had to be quite awkward at times. And one has to wonder during that period of time if the players were looking at DG thinking 'I wish that guy was our coach'.

And wasn't it KA who assigned Granato to Krueger's staff? Kudos to him if so.

Was it? Man, I hope that is right because it just shows a little more about Adams. 

Posted
40 minutes ago, JustOneParade said:

Listening to and seeing implemented DG's philosophies about how the game is to be played, how did DG ever manage to get through that year and a half under Krueger? Almost polar opposites in approach to the game. Did DG have to suppress/subordinate his own coaching methods? Had to be quite awkward at times. And one has to wonder during that period of time if the players were looking at DG thinking 'I wish that guy was our coach'.

And wasn't it KA who assigned Granato to Krueger's staff? Kudos to him if so.

It was Botterill who recommended him to Krueger's staff.  He was an assistant coach both years under Ralph.

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Posted
1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Was it? Man, I hope that is right because it just shows a little more about Adams. 

 

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

It was Botterill who recommended him to Krueger's staff.  He was an assistant coach both years under Ralph.

Eliotte Friedman mentioned it’s tradition that the GM and HC each get to pick an Assistant Coach and they come to an agreement on the remaining ones. 
 

Granato was Botterill’s Pick.  Steve Smith was Krueger’s. 
 

I do wonder if Adams did protect Granato from the purge and RK though. 

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

At lunch with my family.  My daughter just graduated with her Masters degree

Congratulations to Both of You, that’s an accomplishment 

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Posted (edited)
7 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Congratulations to Both of You, that’s an accomplishment 

Thanks.  She is a marvel.  A kid with dyslexia and ADHD who earned an academic scholarship to UGA, graduated UGA with a 3.9, and completed graduate school with a 4.0 and a Masters in child Pyschology plus a specialist degree.  Her mission is to find kids like herself and get them the help they need.  Hard to argue with that.

Edited by GASabresIUFAN
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Posted
6 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Eliotte Friedman mentioned it’s tradition that the GM and HC each get to pick an Assistant Coach and they come to an agreement on the remaining ones. 
 

Granato was Botterill’s Pick.  Steve Smith was Krueger’s. 
 

I do wonder if Adams did protect Granato from the purge and RK though. 

Congratulations to Both of You, that’s an accomplishment 

I keep wondering if Adams is this 4d chess master or just lucky. 

Posted
1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I keep wondering if Adams is this 4d chess master or just lucky. 

He knows what he doesn’t know, surrounds himself with smarter people and has multiple contacts around the league such as Ron Francis and Jim Rutherford who He can get advice from. 
 

He did talk in great detail with Brindamour about how to change the Sabres Locker Room Culture. 
 

That’s more 4D Chess in My Opinion 

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Posted
3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I keep wondering if Adams is this 4d chess master or just lucky. 

Lucky.  Right place, right time, but smart enough to surround himself with good people.  DG fell onto his lap. 

Posted
On 5/2/2022 at 11:13 AM, Weave said:

I can see the similarities to the Nolan situation.  Donnie might be a 2020 version of Nolan.  
Players coach?  Check

Tasked with rebuilding a broken team?  Check

Puts personal development ahead of game situations?  Check

Touch-y feel-y methodology? Check

Develops considerable loyalty among the team?  Check

 

Lets see if he stays away from the goalie’s wife.  😈

 

My gut tells me Donnie will be a better game manager, but that is TBD for now.

I'm not sure what that means. That DG won't know what to do when the games count?

Posted
Just now, Brawndo said:

He knows what he doesn’t know, surrounds himself with smarter people and has multiple contacts around the league such as Ron Francis and Jim Rutherford who He can get advice from. 
 

He did talk in great detail with Brindamour about how to change the Sabres Locker Room Culture. 
 

That’s more 4D Chess in My Opinion 

I do think their is definitely something in his experience with that Carolina Cup team that is helping him now.  Knowing Brind’amour and Rutherford and being able to use those relationships has certainly help him grow into the job.

I’m still not completely sold on him as a GM, but I’m coming around.  I think the team is a playoff contender right now with good goaltending.  He has unlimited cap space and other assets to fix the goaltending.  No more excuses.

Posted
3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I do think their is definitely something in his experience with that Carolina Cup team that is helping him now.  Knowing Brind’amour and Rutherford and being able to use those relationships has certainly help him grow into the job.

I’m still not completely sold on him as a GM, but I’m coming around.  I think the team is a playoff contender right now with good goaltending.  He has unlimited cap space and other assets to fix the goaltending.  No more excuses.

He's frequently talked about the influence of the Carolina model on him. He stated that he placed a great deal of importance on the locker room dynamic and having the right mix of players/people. And he emphasized that he learned the importance of building a well rounded roster rather than building around any particular player. KA's style of management is a collaborative style. His best trait is that he listens more than the talks when working with his staff. 

Posted
34 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

He knows what he doesn’t know, surrounds himself with smarter people and has multiple contacts around the league such as Ron Francis and Jim Rutherford who He can get advice from. 
 

He did talk in great detail with Brindamour about how to change the Sabres Locker Room Culture
 

That’s more 4D Chess in My Opinion 

And yet Skinner remains. 😛

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Posted
1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

 

Eliotte Friedman mentioned it’s tradition that the GM and HC each get to pick an Assistant Coach and they come to an agreement on the remaining ones. 
 

Granato was Botterill’s Pick.  Steve Smith was Krueger’s. 
 

I do wonder if Adams did protect Granato from the purge and RK though. 

Congratulations to Both of You, that’s an accomplishment 

What are we up to now? Exhibit F? G? that Krueger sucked balls? 

And thanks for the clarification on the DG hire  @Taro T. I wasn't sure but thought I had read previously it was KA.

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Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

It still crazy to think that DG was on RK’s staff.  How historically bad was RK?

I tend to think Granato was recommended to Krueger/JBot by Sabres staff (including the Director of the Habor Center Academy of Hockey... some guy named Kevyn).  Granato was the inside source that helped bring down the JBott-Krueger administration, helping Adams stage his coup.

12 hours ago, JustOneParade said:

Listening to and seeing implemented DG's philosophies about how the game is to be played, how did DG ever manage to get through that year and a half under Krueger?

He was biding his time as part of the Sabres Deep State.

Edited by Doohickie
Posted
12 hours ago, JustOneParade said:

And wasn't it KA who assigned Granato to Krueger's staff? Kudos to him if so.

That's just a rumor I've been perpetuating.  😉

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