Former Blackhawks assistant coach Don Granato joined the Sabres coaching staff in the same role Friday.
Granato and the Blackhawks “mutually agreed to party ways” in April after two seasons. The Downers Grove, Illinois native previously spent two seasons as an associated head coach at the University of Wisconsin and five seasons with the United States National Development Program.
Granato joins former Hurricanes goaltending coach Mike Bales and former Blackhawks defenseman Steve Smith as assistant coaches on first-year head coach Ralph Krueger’s staff in Buffalo.
The Blackhawks and head coach Jeremy Colliton have hired two assistant coaches since Granato’s departure with Marc Crawford and Tomas Mitell. Crawford, who was the Senators interim head coach this past spring and guided the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in 1996, will specialize in special teams. Mitell, who helped AIK earn promotion to the Swedish Hockey League and was assistant with Colliton at Mora IK in Sweden, will be tasked with helping the defensemen and player development overall.