Sabres Announce Don Granato Has Been Signed to A Multi Year Contract Extension

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, matter2003 said:

Next year...it's coming.

 

Forget meatballs...I want to eat, eat, eat Apples and Bananas...

Would be awesome if it were to happen this year.  Would take soooo much pressure off moving forward even if they were to then take a small step backwards after that.

Not expecting it.  But didn't expect the Bills drought to end after 17 years as they entered year 18 either.

[matter2003]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Would be awesome if it were to happen this year.  Would take soooo much pressure off moving forward even if they were to then take a small step backwards after that.

Not expecting it.  But didn't expect the Bills drought to end after 17 years as they entered year 18 either.

I'm expecting somewhere in the 87-90 point range this year and being in the hunt, although on the outside looking in, until the final week or two.

[Thorny]

6 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Or maybe had more years left 

 

 

So were they afraid Donny was going to price himself out of an extension over those two seasons? I don’t really understand the early extension then other than as vibes publicity 

I like Donny though, so, I’m fine with it.

It’s taking some time getting used to the Sabres being run as a brand as much as a hockey team. The carefully curated image they are meticulously presenting is as much of a component of this build as the actual machinery of roster and staff construction 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

6 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Indeed.  GM ... check.  Coach ... check.  Tage ... check ........... there will be more announcements coming.  I expect before season's end we will hear that Dahlin has signed an 8 year $85M extension.

He can't sign an extension until July 1. I'd hope for 9mil or less but if he really explodes for 80pts or something... idk

8 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

Love this move. 

[Buffalonill]

Why ??? Why ..  What the h*** has he done to Get a extension ? 

 Teams fire coaches Because they suck in the playoffs  buffalo gives extensions when we haven't even made it

Edited October 12, 2022 by Buffalonill

[Thorny]

9 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ??? Why ..  What the h*** has he done to Get a extension ? 

 Teams fire coaches Because they suck in the playoffs  buffalo gives extensions when we haven't even made it

Have you ever heard the expression that coaches are hired to be fired? Think of the mental mechanics behind why that might be the case. That bullet-in-chamber message that can be unleashed at the most opportune time. 

This is the other side of the coin, and the Sabres are, I’d probably argue closer to the forefront of that movement, hockey/sports wide, more interested in trying to establish a new precedent than following one:

the Sabres extended Granato to extend him. This is a message fired across the bow 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, matter2003 said:

I'm expecting somewhere in the 87-90 point range this year and being in the hunt, although on the outside looking in, until the final week or two.

Not unrealistic at all.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ??? Why ..  What the h*** has he done to Get a extension ? 

 Teams fire coaches Because they suck in the playoffs  buffalo gives extensions when we haven't even made it

Again, what is the downside of this move?  The Pegulas are out a few $MM should they or Adams decide to go in a different direction.  If the Sabres were still owned by the Knoxes (or God forbid Hammister) it could have negative repercussions as they weren't billionaires and that kind of cake would still be real money to them.  But that money is chump change to the current owners.

It probably makes no difference to potential coaching or scouting hires, but that move definitely doesn't make it harder to bring good qualified people into the organization.

Not seeing the downside personally.

 

[Ctaeth]

Certainly am a bit surprised by this coming right now.  Feels early doesn't it? 

With that being said, he has looked great so far.  There's no reason IMO that he shouldn't be proceeding into "phase 2" of the rebuild, where the team gets the chance to turn the corner.  He's earned that much at least

But it still feels early..

[Marvin]

8 hours ago, Thorny said:

It’s taking some time getting used to the Sabres being run as a brand as much as a hockey team. The carefully curated image they are meticulously presenting is as much of a component of this build as the actual machinery of roster and staff construction 

This is very astute of you.  When was the last time the Sabres had a brand?

[LGR4GM]

12 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Why ??? Why ..  What the h*** has he done to Get a extension ? 

 Teams fire coaches Because they suck in the playoffs  buffalo gives extensions when we haven't even made it

Your singular focus is why you react this way. You've become so accustomed to the 2yr firing and then new rebuild with quick fixes. 

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Your singular focus is why you react this way. You've become so accustomed to the 2yr firing and then new rebuild with quick fixes. 

 I just believe he should earn it which means success of making the playoffs 1st.

 

[LGR4GM]

17 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 I just believe he should earn it which means success of making the playoffs 1st.

 

Making the playoffs is whatever to me, winning in the playoffs matters. I think what Granato has done in the last year is nothing short of a miracle and making sure he is locked in for 4 years is fine. 

Can't wait until this year ends I get to revisit your pessimism over just about everything Buffalo has done.

[matter2003]

12 hours ago, Ctaeth said:

Certainly am a bit surprised by this coming right now.  Feels early doesn't it? 

With that being said, he has looked great so far.  There's no reason IMO that he shouldn't be proceeding into "phase 2" of the rebuild, where the team gets the chance to turn the corner.  He's earned that much at least

But it still feels early..

So you'd rather have a lame duck coach in the last year of his contract behind the bench?  That would send a great message to the team.

[Ctaeth]

2 hours ago, matter2003 said:

So you'd rather have a lame duck coach in the last year of his contract behind the bench?  That would send a great message to the team.

I guess let me turn this around on you and ask what's the harm in having a "lame duck" behind the bench to start this year?  It would seem that your issue is the message it sends to the team.  IMO, management has already given the team a huge vote of confidence by signing players to extensions (some might even say prematurely signing), so I don't really see him not being signed to start the season as sending a bad message. 

I see nothing wrong with extending him early/mid season if things are trending the right way.  To me, it just seems early. I think he is likely to be the guy, but you're signing a coach that has presided over pretty bad results to date.  I see what the rest of you see with the progression of the players like Tage and Dahlin, but if there isn't progression like is expected this year in the standings, tides might turn pretty quickly.  If they finish at the bottom of the Atlantic this year (which I don't think is going to happen, but it is possible), are you as glad that you sent a "great message" to the team by resigning early?

Edited October 13, 2022 by Ctaeth

[triumph_communes]

Sounds like something Donny insisted on. Seems unnecessary. Whatever, just money

[Thorny]

3 hours ago, matter2003 said:

So you'd rather have a lame duck coach in the last year of his contract behind the bench?  That would send a great message to the team.

I don’t think needing a new deal in a year really would make him a “lame duck”, not when coaches get fired mid-deal all the time anyways. 

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

I guess let me turn this around on you and ask what's the harm in having a "lame duck" behind the bench to start this year?  It would seem that your issue is the message it sends to the team.  IMO, management has already given the team a huge vote of confidence by signing players to extensions (some might even say prematurely signing), so I don't really see him not being signed to start the season as sending a bad message. 

I see nothing wrong with extending him early/mid season if things are trending the right way.  To me, it just seems early. I think he is likely to be the guy, but you're signing a coach that has presided over pretty bad results to date.  I see what the rest of you see with the progression of the players like Tage and Dahlin, but if there isn't progression like is expected this year in the standings, tides might turn pretty quickly.  If they finish at the bottom of the Atlantic this year (which I don't think is going to happen, but it is possible), are you as glad that you sent a "great message" to the team by resigning early?

IF this was the last year of his contract (have seen conflicting reports, it might've run through next year) you don't wait until the season is going well to extend the coach because he becomes an UFA as soon as the contract expires.  If you want to maintain control of the decision whether to bring him back or not, he'd darn sure better be under contract for at least 1 more year.

[Thorny]

9 minutes ago, Ctaeth said:

I guess let me turn this around on you and ask what's the harm in having a "lame duck" behind the bench to start this year?  It would seem that your issue is the message it sends to the team.  IMO, management has already given the team a huge vote of confidence by signing players to extensions (some might even say prematurely signing), so I don't really see him not being signed to start the season as sending a bad message. 

I see nothing wrong with extending him early/mid season if things are trending the right way.  To me, it just seems early. I think he is likely to be the guy, but you're signing a coach that has presided over pretty bad results to date.  I see what the rest of you see with the progression of the players like Tage and Dahlin, but if there isn't progression like is expected this year in the standings, tides might turn pretty quickly.  If they finish at the bottom of the Atlantic this year (which I don't think is going to happen, but it is possible), are you as glad that you sent a "great message" to the team by resigning early?

You touch on an interesting point, the votes of confidence are indeed going out and, for one thing, Adams doesn’t seem interested in any standings points this year being earned by way of, say, a Samuelsson or Granato playing/coaching for new deals, the added production we sometimes see from a player in those situations. No, he’s unconcerned with there being a level of comfort, heading into this year. Feeling the vibe of everything in totality I don’t think any sort of hard-line, numerical expectations have been set as goals this year, I think GA is right when he said this is viewed as simply another development year 

[LGR4GM]

26 minutes ago, Thorny said:

You touch on an interesting point, the votes of confidence are indeed going out and, for one thing, Adams doesn’t seem interested in any standings points this year being earned by way of, say, a Samuelsson or Granato playing/coaching for new deals, the added production we sometimes see from a player in those situations. No, he’s unconcerned with there being a level of comfort, heading into this year. Feeling the vibe of everything in totality I don’t think any sort of hard-line, numerical expectations have been set as goals this year, I think GA is right when he said this is viewed as simply another development year 

Do you listen to Granato talk? Because he lays out the goals and what he is looking for and the way you word it here is "simply another development year" implies that losing games is acceptable and welcomed and everything will be hunky dorey. Which is bull-hockey. 

[Thorny]

30 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Do you listen to Granato talk? Because he lays out the goals and what he is looking for and the way you word it here is "simply another development year" implies that losing games is acceptable and welcomed and everything will be hunky dorey. Which is bull-hockey. 

You can take a black and white inference if you want, but I’ve posted about this in detail many times. If it helps, add “in priority” after the bit you put quotes around. 

It’s a grey, shifting spectrum right now in terms of understanding what the biggest priorities are for KA this year. I am eager for the main priority to shift to being “winning”. I do not believe that to be the case right now. But, even with development being the priority in estimation, that’s not me saying a secondary goal isn’t tabulating wins. 

It’s something I’m very interested in and always taking the temperature on. I’d wager it might come from the same family of concerns as: 

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That's a ***** mistake. 

It illustrates my only real concern with this regime, valuing some idea about wanting to be and play the right way over talent to the teams detriment. 

 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

You can take a black and white inference if you want, but I’ve posted about this in detail many times. If it helps, add “in priority” after the bit you put quotes around. 

It’s a grey, shifting spectrum right now in terms of understanding what the biggest priorities are for KA this year. I am eager for the main priority to shift to being “winning”. I do not believe that to be the case right now. But, even with development being the priority in estimation, that’s not me saying a secondary goal isn’t tabulating wins. 

It’s something I’m very interested in and always taking the temperature on. I’d wager it might come from the same family of concerns as: 

 

Again you keep saying winning isn't a priority simply because Adams isn't acting like the Vegas Golden Knights. 

[Thorny]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Again you keep saying winning isn't a priority simply because Adams isn't acting like the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Come on, dude. You aren’t even taking the time to read what I am writing if that is your take away. How can you say I am saying winning isn’t *A* priority when the post you quoted literally mentions winning as a priority, a secondary one to development, I believe. 

The entire point of my post was a designation between being *a* priority or *the* main focus. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Thorny

[Buffalonill]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Making the playoffs is whatever to me, winning in the playoffs matters. I think what Granato has done in the last year is nothing short of a miracle and making sure he is locked in for 4 years is fine. 

Can't wait until this year ends I get to revisit your pessimism over just about everything Buffalo has done.

Have to make the playoffs first .

[Buffalonill]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Do you listen to Granato talk? Because he lays out the goals and what he is looking for and the way you word it here is "simply another development year" implies that losing games is acceptable and welcomed and everything will be hunky dorey. Which is bull-hockey. 

If that was true they wouldn't have traded for  Bishop