5 candidates who can replace Don Granato as next Sabres head coach
The Buffalo Sabres were a team many expected to make the playoffs this season, but that is looking unlikely.
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The Buffalo Sabres were a team many expected to make the playoffs this season, but that is looking unlikely.
Buffalo is 13-17-3 and is coming off a 9-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at home on Tuesday. After the loss, many Sabres fans are calling for head coach Don Granato to be fired.
If Buffalo does fire Granato, here are five candidates to replace him.
5 candidates to replace Don Granato
#1, Craig Berube
The St. Louis Blues recently fired Craig Berube who won the Stanley Cup in 2019.Berube is a solid NHL coach and will likely get another job this summer, and the Buffalo Sabres make a lot of sense for him.
The Sabres need a veteran voice to take control of this team, and Berube did just that with the Blues in 2019 and was a key reason why St. Louis won the Cup.
#2, Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant decided not to coach in the NHL this season but will be a hot commodity this season.Gallant and the New York Rangers parted ways with one another after two years but Gallant did lead the team to the playoffs in both seasons.
Gallant will be highly sought after this off-season and Buffalo should be all-in on him.
#3, Joel Quenneville
Joel Quenneville is arguably one of the greatest NHL coaches of all time but he is currently barred from coaching in the league.Quenneville was the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks during the Kyle Beach sexual assault allegations, and because of that, Gary Bettman has said Quenneville is ineligible to coach.
However, many reports have indicated he may be able to return this summer and if he does, the Sabres should jump at the chance to hire him as he's a proven winner in the NHL.
#4, Seth Appert
If Buffalo is going to look for a first-time NHL head coach, Seth Appert would be a logical fit.Appert is currently the head coach of the Rochester Americans, who are the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. He has experience coaching some of the players in Buffalo and has had success with Rochester.
Appert will likely start to get calls for an NHL coaching role this summer, whether it's for a head coach or assistant.
#5, Jay Leach
Jay Leach is a former NHL player who's currently an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken.Leach has been rumored to be an NHL head coach very shortly, and he interviewed with the Boston Bruins before Jim Montgomery got the job. It would be another first-time NHL head coach, which perhaps Buffalo needs.
