by Tony Fiorello
NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 27: Don Granato Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres behind the bench in the first period of the game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on October 27, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Buffalo Sabres’ firing of Don Granato on Tuesday marked the sixth consecutive instance that a coach was axed by the team since Lindy Ruff was canned in 2013. Perhaps not coincidentally, this is the 13th straight year they will miss the postseason – the longest streak in NHL history and tied with the NFL’s New York Jets for the longest drought in North American professional sports.
We at Buffalo Sports Page won’t go over the circumstances that led to Granato’s ouster – that’s been talked about ad nauseam by other outlets. Instead, we’ll look to the future.
There are numerous bench bosses who are prospective candidates to take over the Sabres, and what general manager Kevyn Adams should look for is someone who can stabilize the position after years of revolving coaches. Someone who not only can connect with and develop players, but is willing to be flexible with his system, who can push buttons when necessary, can create chemistry on lines and defense pairs, provide accountability in the dressing room and is able to play the matchup game well against opposing coaches. Having prior head coaching experience and pedigree is required too, as Adams mentioned during his end of the season press conference.
Hiring said person is easier said than done, of course, given Buffalo’s current predicament. But that’s up to Adams and Terry Pegula to figure out. Here are some coaches rumored to have been connected to the Sabres in the past, and why they may – or may not – be hired by them.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 13: Assistant Coach John Stevens of the Vegas Golden Knights hoists the Stanley Cup on the ice after Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
John Stevens
Current position – assistant coach, Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)
Stevens is coming off a year where he helped Bruce Cassidy and company win the Stanley Cup, and previously won two championships as an assistant to Darryl Sutter with the Los Angeles Kings. He also had two stints as a lead bench boss in the NHL, leading the Kings and Philadelphia Flyers to a combined mark of 171-148-43 and was an assistant to Rick Bowness in Dallas where they led the Stars to a Final appearance in 2020.
I view Stevens as a bit of a one-hit wonder as a head coach. Besides taking a Flyers team from worst to nearly first in 2007-08 (a single-season turnaround from 56 to 95 points and an Eastern Conference Final berth), Stevens’ record has been mediocre at best. It seems as if Stevens might never elevate himself to anything more than one of the NHL’s premier assistants.
WINNIPEG, CANADA - FEBRUARY 25: Associate coach Scott Arniel (left) and head coach Rick Bowness (right) of the Winnipeg Jets look on from the bench during second period action against the Arizona Coyotes at Canada Life Centre on February 25, 2024 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
Scott Arniel
Current position – associate coach, Winnipeg Jets (NHL)
Arniel’s bounced around a bit but is known for being one of the NHL’s best assistants. Having played 11 seasons at pro hockey’s highest level – including four seasons with Buffalo from 1986-87 through ‘89-90 – he’s spent time as an assistant in Buffalo (2002-03 through ’05-06), the New York Rangers (’13-14 through ’17-18, where he was a member of the Rangers’ run to the Final in 2014), Washington (’18-19 through ’21-22) and now in Winnipeg. He also had a 123-game stint as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010-12.
Having been around successful teams as often as he has, is it possible the Sabres could come calling for Arniel to rejoin the franchise a third time? I wouldn’t rule it out.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 14: Head coach Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at the United Center on April 14, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Rod Brind’Amour
Current position – head coach, Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
Wait a second, you might be saying. Brind’Amour is currently the head coach in Carolina. How could he leave for a lateral move?
Brind’Amour, or “Rod the Bod”, as some call him due to his ridiculous commitment to physical fitness, is a free agent after the 2023-24 season concludes. Having played 20 years with the Hurricanes, Flyers and St. Louis Blues (winning a Cup in 2006 and reaching two other Finals in ’02 and 1997), Brind’Amour spent seven years as an assistant under Paul Maurice, Kirk Muller and Bill Peters before ascending to head coach in 2018. Since then he’s led the ‘Canes to the postseason every year and to a pair of berths in the Eastern Conference Final.
Should owner Tom Dundon decide to make a change after this season, Adams could make a phone call to his old teammate to see if he’d want to come to Buffalo. They spent five years sharing the same dressing room and lifted the Cup together – making the fit a natural one.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 30: Head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers John Tortorella watches the play on the ice during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Wells Fargo Center on March 30, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
John Tortorella
Current position – head coach, Philadelphia Flyers (NHL)
One of the most successful American-born coaches in hockey history, Tortorella has won virtually everywhere he’s been in the NHL (with the exception of a one-year stint running a declining Vancouver Canucks squad). From lifting the Lightning from expansion team status to a Cup champion, to guiding the Rangers to an Eastern Conference Final berth in 2012 and turning Columbus from also-rans to a respectable outfit, Tortorella has seen and done it all – mainly with a roster that is focused on physicality and a hard forechecking system. He’s also won a Calder Cup while at the helm of the Rochester Americans in 1996.
The outspoken “Torts” is in a comparable situation to Brind’Amour in that he’s currently employed by an NHL franchise. Given the Flyers’ current struggles over the last few months, general manager Daniel Briere may look to make a change. His history with the Sabres as an assistant to John Muckler and Rick Dudley from 1989-95 may prod Pegula into giving him a chance should he become available.
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 20: Gerard Gallant head coach of the New York Rangers during Game Two of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on April 20, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)
Gerard Gallant
Current position – unemployed
Except for a 142-game stint with Columbus from January 2004 to November 2006, Gallant has been very productive at every level. A gold medal winner at the 2007 World Championships and Memorial Cup winner with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL in 2011, Gallant also spent time as an assistant with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders before being named the leader of Florida in 2014.
Utilizing an up-tempo approach, the Panthers posted seasons of 91 and 103 points (and a playoff appearance in 2016) before Gallant was let go after a slow start in his third year at the helm. The Panthers’ loss turned into the Golden Knights’ gain, as he was hired as their inaugural bench boss and proceeded to guide the team to the best first two years any expansion team had in any sport. A 109-point season and a Cup Final appearance in their first campaign and a 93-point year with another playoff appearance seemed to ensure that Gallant would be in Vegas for years to come.
Once again, however, a slow start in his third year leading a team would cost him his job as Gallant was fired midway through 2019-20. He then latched on with the Rangers, where he led them to an Eastern Conference Final berth in 2022 before being let go after a disappointing second season.
The criticism of Gallant is that while he’s considered a player’s coach, he’s not patient with younger players and his in-game tactical skills are underwhelming. Could Buffalo take a look at him?
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 1: Head coach Claude Julien of the Montreal Canadiens watches the third period against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on December 1, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
Claude Julien
Current position – unemployed
Despite being let go by the Canadiens after a second stint with the franchise, Julien remains one of the game’s elite coaches. Julien oversaw a powerhouse in Boston – taking the Bruins to a pair of Cup Final appearances (and winning the Cup in 2011), reaching the postseason seven times over nine full seasons, recording at least 100 points in a season four times and won the President’s Trophy in 2014 as the league’s best regular season team. He was also successful outside the NHL, winning a Memorial Cup with the Hull Olympiques in 1997 and was an assistant for Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The problem with this scenario is twofold – one involving money and the other involving roster fit. Given Julien’s prior accolades, he may ask for a financial commitment from Pegula that he might not be willing to pony up due to their cost-cutting measures in recent years. Also, Julien’s preference everywhere he’s been – with Montreal, Boston and during a one-year stint with the New Jersey Devils – has been to play a heavy, 200-foot game featuring a collapsing zone defense. Could this sort of approach work in Buffalo with a finesse-oriented roster? They’ve already had one coach try to take a square peg and fit it into a round hole (Ralph Krueger) – are they willing to take on a second?
VANCOUVER, CANADA - JANUARY 21: Head coach Bruce Boudreau of the Vancouver Canucks looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena January 21, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
Bruce Boudreau
Current position – NHL Network analyst
The 69-year-old Boudreau may be out of a coaching job at the moment, but he’s one of the most experienced candidates on the market – and there should be mutual interest between him and the Sabres.
Among coaches to have been behind an NHL bench for at least 10 years, Boudreau’s winning percentage is fifth-best in league history (behind Scotty Bowman, Toe Blake, Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper and the Golden Knights’ Bruce Cassidy) and one of the few awards missing from his resume is a Cup. Using a fast and aggressive system that lets his players be creative – and a solid defense to boot – Boudreau’s teams have had loads of success, leading him to win the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2007-08 and a President’s Trophy in 2009-10.
But his one bugaboo has been the playoffs. Despite his regular season accolades, Boudreau’s rosters with Washington, Anaheim and the Minnesota Wild have gotten past the second round of postseason play just once – in 2015, a seven-game Western Conference Final loss to Chicago and his recent 103-game stint in Vancouver was underwhelming. For what it’s worth, he has won a Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears in the AHL though.
Boudreau has gone on record in the past saying that he would be interested in coaching the Sabres and given his track record, you’d think he would be near the top of Buffalo’s wish list. It all comes down to money, however. Like some of the other big names on this list, he may not be willing to take what Pegula might offer him if they’re not willing to pay top dollar.
31 May 1999: Coach Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates with the bench after winning the Eastern Conference game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Sabres defeated the Maple Leavs 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport
Lindy Ruff
Current position – unemployed
The longest-tenured and winningest coach in Sabres history, Ruff – who took the team to four appearances in the Eastern Conference Final between 1997-2013 and a Stanley Cup Final berth in 1999 – is available. Having also played for the Sabres for 10 seasons, succeeding Gilbert Perreault as captain and maintaining a home in the Buffalo area doesn’t hurt matters either.
Since his firing in February 2013, Ruff has spent four years with the Dallas Stars – where he guided them to two playoff appearances, one of them being a second-round loss in a multi-overtime Game Seven – and parts of four seasons with the Devils in which they won a playoff round a year ago before bowing out to Carolina.
Ruff was let go by New Jersey two months ago, but his downfall was in part due to playing three rookies on defense, shaky goaltending and an unproductive power play. Two of the three issues he faced with the Devils wouldn’t be a problem in Buffalo, and given Adams’ history with Ruff (he was an assistant coach to Ruff from 2011-13), could they make a reunion happen?
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 23: Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins coaches against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on March 23, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)
Mike Sullivan
Current position – head coach, Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
A two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh, Sullivan is the winningest Penguins coach of all-time. He’s done a good job in recent years keeping the Pens in contention despite the deterioration of the roster around aging superstars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
The problem for Sullivan is the pressure to make the most of those three players’ later years is mounting each year. Additionally, as mentioned earlier Dubas took over as the Penguins’ general manager a year ago and inherited Sullivan – now that the Pens have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, will Dubas want to hire his own man? If that does happen, Sullivan would be in demand by many NHL teams and Sabres associate general manager Jason Karmanos worked with Sullivan for six years in Pittsburgh.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 09: Head coach Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at the United Center on December 09, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Craig Berube
Current position – unemployed
Berube, who won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, was behind the team’s bench for parts of six years before being let go earlier this season. He also spent two years as head coach of the Flyers and had a 17-year NHL playing career before he retired.
Like Julien, Berube preaches a heavy, 200-foot game by his skaters – which I’m not sure would fit the Sabres’ roster. Unless he decided to mold his system around the players at his disposal, I get the same feeling as someone like Julien or Tortorella does – good coaches, but maybe not the right fit for Buffalo.
VANCOUVER, CANADA - NOVEMBER 6: Head coach Jay Woodcroft of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on November 6, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jay Woodcroft
Current position – unemployed
Woodcroft hasn’t been a head coach in the NHL for very long, but before he was canned by Edmonton early this season following a slow start he did a solid job behind the Oilers’ bench. Two years ago he took over from Dave Tippett midseason and led Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and company to the Western Conference Final, where they were swept by the eventual Cup-champion Colorado Avalanche.
Woodcroft preaches a wide-open, up-tempo offensive system – which could mesh well with the Sabres’ forwards.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Dean Evason of the Minnesota Wild looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period of a preseason game at the United Center on October 05, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Dean Evason
Current position – unemployed
Evason took over as head coach of the Wild late in the 2019-20 season and guided the Wild for parts of five years before being let go by general manager Bill Guerin this past fall. Similar to Boudreau, Evason has struggled in the playoffs, as his teams have never won a round with him in charge.
Not only has that happened in the NHL, but at other levels too. As the skipper of the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL and the Kamloops Blazers and Calgary Hitmen of the WHL for a combined 12 years, Evason has won just one playoff round in his entire head coaching career – in 2004-05. Which doesn’t exactly evoke a ton of confidence in his ability once the postseason hits.
Ottawa's head coach D.J. Smith shouts instructions during the NHL Global Series Ice Hockey match Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators in Stockholm on November 18, 2023. (Photo by Claudio BRESCIANI / various sources / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo by CLAUDIO BRESCIANI/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images)
D.J. Smith
Current position – assistant coach, Los Angeles Kings (NHL)
Smith was let go by the Ottawa Senators earlier this year after they were expected to compete for a playoff berth, but failed to live up to those expectations. Smith had a 131-154-32 record in Ottawa and won a Memorial Cup as the head coach of the Oshawa Generals in 2015.
Smith, a former assistant in Toronto to Babcock, is now filling that same role after being hired by Kings interim coach Jim Hiller two months ago. Could he get a second chance at being the lead dog of an NHL club?
MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 16: Head coach of the New York Islanders Lane Lambert handles bench duties during the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on December 16, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 5-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Lane Lambert
Current position – unemployed
For many years, Lambert served as the right-hand man to Barry Trotz in Nashville, Washington (where he won a Cup in 2018) and on Long Island where New York made back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Final in 2020 and ’21. When Trotz was surprisingly axed by Lou Lamoriello following the 2021-22 season, Lambert was promoted to the lead job and although he returned the Islanders to the playoffs a year ago, he struggled to separate himself as his own man away from Trotz.
With the Islanders swooning in January, Lambert was given a pink slip by Lamoriello. Like Smith, I wonder if teams will see him as more of an assistant coach or as a guy who could get another chance to show what he could do on his own?
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 26: Head coach Todd McLellan of the Los Angeles Kings points during the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on January 26, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Todd McLellan
Current position – unemployed
Between 2008-09 and 2014-15, McLellan held down the fort for the San Jose Sharks, where he had a ton of regular season success (winning the President’s Trophy his first season there was a high-water mark) and oversaw the Sharks’ back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Final in 2010 and ’11.
However, one could argue that his teams in San Jose underachieved in the postseason. The low point there – beyond missing the playoffs in ’15 – was when his team blew a 3-0 series lead to the Kings in ’14 (the Kings would go on to win the Cup). McLellan also coached parts of four seasons with a young Oilers squad from 2015-19 and parts of five years with the Kings before being let go after a lengthy slump killed any momentum L.A. had after a great start to this season.
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 16: Head coach Sheldon Keefe of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during third period action against the Florida Panthers at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 16, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Sheldon Keefe
Current position – head coach, Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
Keefe has dominated the regular season with Toronto with an up-tempo, explosive offense – so much so that he owns the franchise’s highest winning percentage. Given that the Maple Leafs have been around for more than 100 years, that’s quite the accomplishment.
Like Boudreau and Evason, however, the playoffs are where Keefe has struggled. Since taking over for Mike Babcock midway through the 2019-20 season, the Leafs have won just one playoff series. Another factor here is the man who hired Keefe in Toronto – former general manager Kyle Dubas – is now in Pittsburgh. With Brad Treliving running the Leafs’ show now, will he want his own guy should Keefe’s squad fail again when the lights shine the brightest? If so, I could see the Sabres showing interest.
SUNRISE, FL - OCTOBER 27: Florida Panthers Head coach Joel Quenneville of the Florida Panthers looks up ice during a line change against the Boston Bruins at the FLA Live Arena on October 27, 2021 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Joel Quenneville
Current position – unemployed
In terms of on-ice accomplishments, Quenneville is the most decorated of all the coaches listed here. A three-time Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, Quenneville is also second in league history in career wins with 969 over 25 years with the Hawks, Panthers, Blues and Colorado Avalanche (behind only Scotty Bowman).
What complicates things are the off-ice issues. Quenneville also presided over the Kyle Beach situation in which former Hawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted Beach during the 2010 playoffs, and has been suspended from the National Hockey League since October 2021. If commissioner Gary Bettman lifts his suspension, maybe Adams will look into the situation.
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