Don Granato Agrees to Reported 3-Year Contract as Sabres Head Coach

The Buffalo Sabres removed the interim tag from Don Granato on Tuesday, making him the 20th head coach in franchise history.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN reported Granato's contract will be for three years. He took over as interim coach on March 17, leading the Sabres to a 9-16-3 record.

The veteran coach initially joined the Sabres under Ralph Krueger during the 2019-20 season. Buffalo fired Krueger after less than two seasons.

The Sabres have not reached the playoffs since the 2010-11 season. Granato will be tasked with improving a roster that recorded just 15 wins in a 56-game season, though most of those came under his tutelage.

"He made all the young guys play very well," defenseman Rasmus Dahlin told reporters of Granato. "He made us feel confident. Every day we came to the rink we were in a good mood. We always knew he had our back and that's a huge key for having success."

The young locker room's confidence in Granato is likely what won him the job. The 53-year-old understands working his way up through the system after having done it himself as a coach, beginning with the USHL in 1993 and then transitioning to the CHL and AHL before finally getting his chance at the NHL level.