Ex-Sabres coach Granato weighs in on winless skid: 'It’s exhausting'
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With their most recent loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Buffalo Sabres have now gone winless in their past 10 games, compiling a record of 0-7-3 during that span.
The Sabres sit one just one point out of last place in the Eastern Conference, in danger of missing the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, the longest current drought in the National Hockey League.
Following the loss Sunday, head coach Lindy Ruff was unable to offer many answers as the team continues to spiral out of contention.
“I’m almost at a loss for words,” said the 64-year-old bench boss. “It’s on me to solve this. This is the toughest solve I’ve been around, but it is on me to get these guys in the right place to win a hockey game.”
Ruff, currently in his second stint as the Sabres’ head coach, was hired by the team in April to replace Don Granato following a 39-37-6 season.
Granato, now working as analyst for NHL Network Radio, appeared on TSN1050's First Up on Monday morning to discuss the dire situation in Buffalo.
“I’ll give you a feeling of what it’s like to be an NHL head coach in any adverse situation,” he said. “You put in lots of time and energy, and it’s beyond emotion. It’s exhausting.
“You go to work, you’re already tired because you didn’t sleep. You’re thinking about 10 different things that you can do and 50 things that you can’t do…. there’s so much going on and you will fight exhaustion. It’s such a battle.”
Granato compiled a 125-127-27 with Buffalo, reaching the 40-win mark just once in four years behind the bench before being let go.
The 57-year-old coached the team to a 91-point season in 2022-23, their highest total in over a decade, but was unable to finish better than fifth place in the Atlantic Division throughout his four years as head coach.
“If you’re not in a playoff slot, it’s really difficult,” he said. “The fans don’t really want to hear what you have to say, because everything you’re saying is going to sound like an excuse. Speaking from experience, that’s the real challenge.
“The number of times you face the media when you’re not in the playoff picture, nobody wants to hear you talk because everything sounds like an excuse. So that becomes exhausting in and of itself, and it’s a real challenge for all coaches.”
One area that has drawn much of the attention during their slump has been the Sabres’ goaltending.
Buffalo has rostered three goalies this year, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Devon Levi, and James Reimer, who have posted a collective save percentage of .895, while allowing 103 goals in just 31 games played.
“When you look at the teams that are going, yes, you can see great goaltending,” Granato said. “It’s hard to say if that is the picture, is that why this is happening?
“Speak of the New York Rangers, they’re a struggling team right now and they won the Presidents’ Trophy last year. So, you’re saying, ‘Was it [Igor] Shesterkin? What was his value to that Presidents’ Trophy?’ The more credit you give him, and he deserves a lot of credit, then what does that say this year?
“It’s still a team sport. You can try to point a finger everywhere, any way, it’s a team sport. You need all the guys going, and they all have to help each other.”
Buffalo will get the chance to get back in the win column when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.