The Buffalo Sabres have locked in their man.
On a busy opening week of the NHL season, the Sabres decided to take care of some important internal business, agreeing to terms with head coach Don Granato on a two-year contract extension.
Granato, who joined the Sabres midway through the 2021 season, has two years left on his current deal, meaning that he will now be under contract with the organization through the 2025-26 campaign.
It’s hard to argue against this decision, really.
Granato’s arrival coincided with the first real positive movement for the Sabres as a hockey team in several years, as the 55-year-old joined the club midway through a disastrous 2021 season and proceeded to lead them to an impressive 16-9-3 finish over the final two months. And while the Sabres failed to reach the playoffs again last season, they experienced incremental improvements in all aspects of their game, climbing out of the divisional basement to finish fifth in the Atlantic standings while also seeing a number of key players go on to have career-best years.
Now, the Sabres are positioned to take another step forward in their competitiveness ahead of the 2022-23 season, and a lot of that is due to the steadying presence of Granato behind the bench.
“Don’s passion for the game and leadership skills have been on display since the moment we met,” said Sabres GM Kevyn Adams in a statement on Wednesday.
“He is someone who the players have a tremendous amount of respect for, and he dedicates himself to bettering each individual on the team.”
For the first time in a long time, there is hope in Western New York.
