BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has a plan. He made that much clear when addressing his decision to fire head coach Don Granato on Tuesday. Adams said his conversations with coaching candidates were going to start as early as Tuesday afternoon and he was clear about what he’s looking for.
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“Experience,” Adams said. “I want the next head coach to be someone that has experience and can push this group to the next level. And win hockey games. And I think that’s — I have it in my mind exactly what I’m looking for and that’ll be starting today.
“I’m gonna move forward as quickly as possible because I have a very clear direction in my mind of where we’re gonna go. But previous NHL head coaching experience, pedigree, is important.”
That rules out names like Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert, New York Rangers assistant Michael Peca and others who would be first-time NHL coaches. Instead, the attention turns to the list of coaches available who have been there and done that in the NHL. Adams sounded flexible on exactly what style of hockey the team plays but made clear he thinks his players are “craving accountability and structure.”
While Adams didn’t want to get into names, before he walked away from the lectern inside KeyBank Center, he said, “ I think what you need to know is that as I walk out of here, know I have a plan.”
As Adams leads the search for the Sabres coach since Terry Pegula bought the team in 2011, here are some names who fit his description of what he’s looking for.
Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Rod Brind’Amour would be a pie-in-the-sky option for the Sabres. But dare to dream, right? Brind’Amour is among the best coaches in the NHL and has turned the Carolina Hurricanes into one of the most complete teams in the league. Considering he spent 10 seasons with the Hurricanes as a player before his coaching career, Brind’Amour wouldn’t have much reason to want to leave and Carolina has every reason to want to keep him. But he is in the final season of his contract and has a longstanding friendship with Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams dating back to their playing days with the Hurricanes. Brind’Amour would cost a pretty penny, but he’d be the best option on this list by far. Adams sounded like he wanted to move quickly in the hiring process, though, and Brind’Amour is about to start a playoff run with Carolina. Given that it’s not likely Brind’Amour is eager to leave the Hurricanes, Adams may not want to wait around.
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Lindy Ruff
Lindy Ruff is a Buffalo legend. His time with the Sabres as both a player and a coach makes him one of the most beloved people in the history of the franchise. Is he the same coach he was when he led the Sabres to the Eastern Conference finals and a Presidents Trophy? Maybe not. But he showed last season with the Devils that he’s still capable of connecting with this generation of players when he led New Jersey to its best point total in franchise history. This season injuries and poor goaltending caused the Devils to take a big step back. That cost Ruff his job.
Adams was on Ruff’s staff in Buffalo for two seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13. There’s a relationship between Ruff and the organization and he still has a home in Buffalo. A Ruff reunion might also help Pegula reinvigorate a fan base that hasn’t seen playoff hockey since Ruff was last behind the bench. Nostalgia alone isn’t a reason to make a hire, but Ruff has the bonafides to go along with it. He’s also got a no-nonsense style that might help a Sabres team that too often looked unprepared to start games and unable to handle the pressure that came with higher expectations this season. When Adams talks about structure and accountability, those words come up a lot when you talk to Ruff’s teammates and players about him. He seems to fit Adams’ description.
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Craig Berube
Craig Berube was an instant success when the Blues hired him midseason in 2018-19. That Blues team made a dramatic turnaround and won the Stanley Cup. Berube led the Blues to the playoffs in each of the three seasons after that but missed the playoffs last year and was fired after St. Louis had a slow start to this season. If the Sabres are looking for a coach who could bring more structure to a young team that is craving it, Berube could be a strong fit. That he has a Stanley Cup ring is an added bonus.
Bruce Boudreau
Bruce Boudreau has led three different NHL teams to the playoffs in his long career as a bench boss. But his most recent stint with the Vancouver Canucks ended after less than two full seasons. He’s 69 years old and has never won a Stanley Cup as an NHL head coach, but maybe his experience could help the Sabres shed the weight of the playoff drought and get back to respectability.
Dean Evason
The Wild fired Dean Evason this season after he made the playoffs in each of his three full seasons as the team’s coach. He never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs, though, and also failed to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs in four trips as an AHL coach. He made the playoffs in all six seasons in the WHL but didn’t advance beyond the first round in five of those. His pedigree isn’t as strong as other coaches on this list, but he’s a name worth watching.
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Todd McLellan
Todd McLellan has extensive experience as an NHL head coach with a .581 points percentage in 1114 games coached. He’s never won a Stanley Cup as a head coach, but McLellan has an incredible pedigree as an NHL coach. The question is whether his style would be a match for the Sabres’ young, offensive-minded team. If he’s able to adapt to this group of players, McLellan is among the best options available.
Jay Woodcroft
Jay Woodcroft got fired after a 3-9-1 start in Edmonton this season, but he had led the Oilers beyond the first round of the playoffs in each of his previous two seasons including a conference finals appearance two seasons ago. Woodcroft’s pedigree isn’t the strongest on this list, but he had an impressive run in Edmonton before the team stumbled out of the gate. He’s known for being willing to adapt his style to the talent on the roster and has roots in Ontario, so he’s a name to watch.
Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant hasn’t lasted more than three seasons in any of his four coaching stops in his career, but he does have the experience and pedigree Adams is after. Six years ago, he led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final and two years ago he led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference final. The main question would be whether his rigid style would mesh with a Sabres roster that is still young in terms of age. He might represent too drastic a switch from what this group is used to.
Joel Quenneville
Joel Quenneville’s name is again popping up in the coaching carousel after he spoke publicly about his desire to coach again. He’s been out of the league since 2021, when he resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers in light of his role in the Chicago Blackhawks’ cover-up of an alleged sexual assault by video coach Brad Aldrich on Black Ace Kyle Beach during the 2010 playoffs. The NHL still hasn’t reinstated Quenneville and there’s no guarantee that the league will. Along with all of the baggage a hire like Quenneville would come with, would Adams want to wait around and sort through the issues with the league? Quenneville’s name is on this list because his experience matches what Adams is looking for, but it would be a surprising hire.
Other options
If the Sabres choose to wait and see how the playoffs shake out, a few more names could be added to this list. Would Mike Sullivan become available if the Penguins don’t make the playoffs? What about Sheldon Keefe if the Leafs don’t make it out of the first round? The next few weeks could change some of the variables of this coaching search.
But Adams said he wants to move quickly while adding, “We’re not going to ever rush into anything, there’s no artificial timeline but what I can tell you is I have a plan and if the plan moves quickly, even better. I think that’s important. But we wouldn’t do something that we don’t think makes sense just to do it fast.”
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(Photo of Rod Brind’Amour: AP Photo / Karl B DeBlaker)
