It’s been one year since Don Granato took the reins as Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres. After years and years of coaching uncertainty (and genuine heartache), it certainly seems as though the Sabres finally have their man. Although Buffalo is set to miss the postseason for the 11th consecutive season (barring anything extravagant), there is plenty of reason for optimism in the Queen City and that’s a tribute to the job Granato has done behind the bench.
There’s been a lot of growth on the ice this season for the rebuilding Sabres which bodes well for the city of Buffalo and the passionate fan base out in Western New York. Without further ado, here are three players who have greatly benefited from Granato’s tutelage.
Tage Thompson, Right-Wing, Age 24
First up on our list is Tage Thompson. In today’s National Hockey League, the mantra is “bigger, faster, stronger”. Luckily for Sabres fans, Thompson checks all three of those boxes and then some. The 2021-22 campaign has seen a renaissance-type season for the Phoenix, Arizona native. After being traded to the Sabres in the Ryan O’Reilly deal back in 2018, Thompson has been a staple in Granato’s top-6 forward group. In 60 games so far this year, the big man has scored 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points to go along with 17:52 worth of ice time setting career-highs across the board. Not too shabby, wouldn’t you say?
For a team like the Sabres who continue to gauge their roster, Thompson has proven that he is an integral part of the rebuild (and foreseeable future) in Western New York. Thompson’s strong play all season long is a true testament to Granato’s coaching philosophy. This is a player that Granato and the coaching staff have a lot of confidence in, and they’re finally starting to reap the benefits. Look for Thompson to round out the 2021-22 campaign in fine form for a Sabres team that has a real, promising future ahead of them.
Rasmus Dahlin, Defenseman, Age 21
Next up, is silky-smooth blue-liner Rasmus Dahlin. Man, oh man, do the Sabres have themselves a bonafide top-tier talent in the slick-skating Swede. After being drafted first overall at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, it’s taken some time for Dahlin to officially “arrive on the scene” at the NHL level Well, Sabres fans, the proverbial wait is over.
As a player, Dahlin combines a raw and naturally-gifted skill set with the full package in all three zones on the ice. He’s swift on his skates, big (6-foot-3), elusive, shifty, and possesses excellent instincts. Dahlin’s play is all-worldly because of his incredible skating ability, balance, vision, and his puck-moving ability. After finishing last season with a minus-36 rating, Dahlin has slashed that number by a significant margin this time around (minus-17) under Granato’s leadership.
In addition, the Linkoping, Sweden native has tallied nine goals and 30 points to go along with a career-high in ice time of 23:44. This is a player who’s only going to get better and better as time goes on. A Norris Trophy is certainly in the realm for Dahlin over the next two to three seasons. This kid really is something special.
Jeff Skinner, Age 29, Left-Wing
After an extremely difficult past two seasons on the ice, Jeff Skinner has enjoyed a solid bounce-back campaign in the gold and blue of Buffalo. Since signing a massive $72 million/eight-year contract extension, Sabres fans certainly had high hopes that Skinner would produce offensively at an elite level. Although it hasn’t turned out that way, Skinner has, at least for the time being, made amends for his poor play.
The 2021-22 campaign has seen Skinner “light the lamp” with more frequency, confidence, and consistency. In 62 games played, the Markham, Ontario native has 24 goals and 44 points shooting 12 percent. Given how Skinner only scored 7 goals all of last year (albeit in a shortened season), his production this time around truly demonstrates the vast improvement of his play under Granato. If Skinner can continue to score and produce at this rate, he will certainly endear himself to the Sabres faithful as one of the undisputed leaders on an up-and-coming hockey team.
Only time will tell if that’ll be the case as we move into the stretch run of the season. Stay tuned, folks.
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