The Buffalo Sabres announced changes to their coaching and player development staff. Don Granato will have a decent-sized coaching staff heading into next season.
Matt Ellis will remain behind the bench as an assistant coach. He’ll be joined by Jason Christie and Marty Wilford as the other two assistants on Granato’s staff. Mike Bales will also remain on the staff and Myles Fee will as well as the video coach. Justin White has also been added as a video coach.
In the player development department, Adam Mair was promoted to the role of director of player development. Dan Girardi will go back as a player development coach after going behind the bench at the end of last season.
Jason Christie and Marty Wilford
Christie played for Don Granato back in 2000 in the ECHL for the Peoria Rivermen on their way to a Kelly Cup. He also holds the record for the most wins as head coach in the ECHL over 18 years under a variety of organizations.
He spent the last four years coaching the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL.
Wilford comes over from the Anaheim Ducks organization. He spent the last three years as an assistant coach on that staff.
Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi
We’ve known for a while now that the Sabres are high on Ellis and today was another example of that. He remains on the coaching staff and a lot of the players enjoyed working with him last season.
Girardi goes back to his previous role as a development coach. The Sabres will likely lean on him to help develop the handful of defense prospects they have coming through their system. Including 2021 first overall pick Owen Power.
The one under-the-radar hire here is Jason White as a video coach. He spent the last few years working with the organization in Rochester running their analytics. He had some job duties with the Sabres as well in that role. Another data-driven person getting an important role in the coaching staff.
On another note, Kevyn Adams will meet with the media at 4 PM today.