Breaking: Buffalo Sabres Make Big Decision on Don Granato

Now that the regular season is coming to an end, disappointed front offices will start to hand coaches their walking papers, and on this Tuesday, the first coaching casualty as the season winds up is Buffalo Sabres bench boss Don Granato.

The Buffalo Sabres have fired head coach Don Granato.

Buffalo has failed to quality for the playoffs since 2011, with Granato serving as the coach the past 3 seasons. pic.twitter.com/JaPkma0S1L

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 16, 2024

The Sabres, with a tremendous young core of players locked up, were expected to finally break their 12-year playoff drought this season, but instead, their postseason slump has reach 13 years, the past three with Granato at the helm.

Buffalo made a vast improvement from Granato's first season, when they went 32-39-11 for 75 points, jumping in 2022-23 to 91 points with a 42-33-7 mark, missing out on a playoff berth by just a single point. 

This season, things were supposed to be different and the Sabres were expected to take that next step and be playoff-bound. Instead, they've stumbled back to 84 points at 39-37-6, missing out on the postseason by, currently, five points. 

The Sabres have also relieved assistant coach Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith of their duties.

As noted by Chris Johnson, the 13-year playoff drought has seen Buffalo go through seven head coaches: Lindy Ruff, Ron Rolston, Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, Phil Housley, Ralph Krueger and Don Granato.

Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports