Granato - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After firing Ralph Krueger, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams wants more passion

In explaining why he fired Ralph Krueger, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams appealed to his players’ pride.

Adams wanted to keep Krueger, a coach he said his players believed in and “really, really love.” The rookie GM stood by him for weeks, allowing the Sabres to implode and their losing streak to balloon to 12 games.

But Wednesday morning, hours after the Sabres’ 3-2 road loss to the New Jersey Devils, Adams knew ... Read the full article

Don Granato takes over Sabres with coaching search underway

For the time being, Don Granato, a 53-year-old hockey lifer who has spent the last 27 years coaching or scouting in pro, college and junior, is leading the hapless Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres on Wednesday named Granato their interim coach after firing Ralph Krueger in the midst of a 12-game losing streak.

Granato, who joined Krueger’s staff as an assistant last season, will be behind the bench tonight against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank ... Read the full article

Sabres fire coach Ralph Krueger, tab Don Granato as interim leader

The Buffalo Sabres fired coach Ralph Krueger this morning in the midst of a stunning stretch in which the hapless team has lost 12 consecutive games and 16 of 18 since its COVID-19 pause ended.

Don Granato, an assistant under Krueger, will serve as the Sabres’ interim coach, general manager Kevyn Adams said. The Sabres also fired Steve Smith, Krueger’s top assistant.

Matt Ellis, the Sabres’ director of player development, and Dan ... Read the full article

Ralph Krueger plans to coach behind bench; Sabres move Don Granato

BUFFALO – Coach Ralph Krueger, who recently recovered from COVID-19 and returned to the Sabres on Sunday, plans to be behind the bench tonight against the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center.

“I feel good to go,” Krueger said on a Zoom call this morning. “Obviously, with the strong support around me it makes it easier where they’ve done an excellent job. But I felt really good in the skate today and meetings this ... Read the full article

Sabres thrilled to be back, believe they can grow from COVID adversity

BUFFALO – The COVID-19 protocols the NHL implemented this season have stymied off-ice activities.

Wanna grab a bite to eat or check out a museum on the road? Wanna stop over after practice and play Xbox? Forget about it. Socializing is kept to the bare minimum.

The Sabres added eight new faces this season, so enjoying a team dinner or group outing would’ve helped the players become familiar with each other.

“You can’t go get ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Don Granato could move from behind bench

BUFFALO – When the Sabres play a game again, the chances of assistant coach Don Granato being behind the bench appear to be slim.

Granato, 53, missed nearly two months at the beginning of last season after he was hospitalized with severe pneumonia. He needed a ventilator and had a blood infection, according to The Buffalo News.

The Sabres have nine players on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol-related absences list. Coach Ralph Krueger, meanwhile, tested positive ... Read the full article

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger tests positive for COVID-19

Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger has tested positive for COVID-19 and will enter the NHL’s COVID protocol, the team announced Thursday morning.

Krueger, 61, is the first staff member the Sabres have announced as testing positive.

Later Thursday, defenseman Jake McCabe became the fifth Sabres player added to the league’s COVID-19 protocol-related absences list in the last three days, joining winger Taylor Hall, defenseman Brandon Montour, winger Tobias Rieder and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

The NHL ... Read the full article

Why did Ralph Krueger hide Sabres’ lines from Lindy Ruff, Devils?

BUFFALO – In Sunday afternoon’s pregame warm-up, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger showcased the same lines he had utilized the previous day against the New Jersey Devils, with one exception.

Casey Mittelstadt, who was replacing Tage Thompson, skated at left wing beside top center Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson.

Then when Sunday’s contest started, Krueger changed three of four Sabres’ lines. Only one trio from warm-ups – center Cody Eakin, left wing ... Read the full article

Sabres switch up lines, move Tage Thompson up, Jeff Skinner down

After a 10-month layoff, the Buffalo Sabres play 10 games in an 18-day stretch, starting with Thursday’s season opener against the Washington Capitals.

That includes three back-to-back sets. The early stretch will be rigorous and likely test the Sabres’ depth. They’re going to have to roll four lines.

“Right now, we need to be a good four-line team early in the season,” Krueger said on a Zoom call Friday.

So Krueger, who pretty much kept ... Read the full article

Devils hire former Amerks coach Chris Taylor as assistant

The New Jersey Devils have hired former Rochester Americans head coach Chris Taylor as an assistant on Lindy Ruff’s staff, the team announced today.

Taylor played for Ruff over parts of four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Ruff, who was hired by New Jersey on July 9, also added Dave Rogalski as goalie coach to complete his staff.

Ruff named Mark Recchi and Alain Nasreddine his first assistants in September.

New Buffalo general manager Kevyn ... Read the full article