The Buffalo Sabres announce some major coaching staff changes this morning just before the season gets underway. The big news is that new assistant coach Don Granato has been hospitalized with severe pneumonia and will be taking a medical leave of absence from the team. Granato was hired this summer by new head coach Ralph Krueger.
To fill in for Granato’s absence current Rochester Amerks head coach, Chris Taylor, will temporarily join the Sabres coaching staff. Taylor has been the Amerks head coach the last two years and was even mentioned a possible head coaching candidate for the Sabres this past summer.
Gord Dineen will step up and take over as the head coach of the Amerks now while Taylor is in Buffalo to help the Sabres. Former Sabres forward and current Development Coach, Adam Mair, will also join the Amerks staff to help out on the bench on a temporary basis.