The Blackhawks acquired Subban, the younger brother of New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban, in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 24, 2020, part of a three-team trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that sent goalie Robin Lehner to Vegas.
"[Malcolm] has some experience, he's a great athlete, we know that, and he's hungry," Granato said. "He's hungry for opportunity, so he's attentive and adamant and determined. We're bringing players in that are like that, and we're seeing those types of personalities evolve and emerge, and when we get enough of them emerging, again, it's going to turn. So we've just got to keep moving with that objective and move with confidence in that objective, and I think we are. He's a great addition, fitting in the context of all of what I just said."
Subban was 6-8-1 with a 3.20 GAA, .900 save percentage and two shutouts in 16 games (14 starts) last season, and was 36-31-8 with a 3.02 GAA, .899 save percentage and three shutouts in 82 games (74 starts) for the Boston Bruins, Golden Knights and Blackhawks.
"I feel like since I turned pro at 19, I've come such a long way in my game, in my technical game, mentality towards everything and being a professional," Subban said. "I feel like this is the furthest I've come and I'm looking forward to go further. Just keep improving every day. Every day's an opportunity to get better, so just looking to earn everything, keep working hard, as hard as I can, and keep pushing myself to be the best that I can be."
Aaron Dell allowed five goals on 43 shots for the Sabres in a 7-4 loss at the Florida Panthers on Thursday. He and Dustin Tokarski were the Buffalo goalies with Craig Anderson sidelined since Nov. 2 because of an upper-body injury.
"He has been as mystified as anybody," Granato said of Anderson's injury. "This is an elusive thing. You wake up each day and it could resolve, so you're hopeful each day with the issue he deals with [that] tomorrow's the day it resolves completely. But it hasn't, and because it hasn't, it's the same subtlety every day. It can be aggravating to the same extent. It can resolve tomorrow and it can be there again tomorrow too, so there is potential for frustration. He's a pro. He's handled it extremely well. He's had injuries in his career, he's had a long career. He's keeping himself ready in the event that it does resolve."
Tokarski was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol, and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was the backup Thursday, was sent to Rochester of the AHL.
"He's in a developmental phase of his career where the games in Rochester can, there's a benefit there that might exceed the benefit here right now, today, in a spot to play," Granato said. "That's what it comes down to."
NHL.com independent correspondent Heather Engel contributed to this report
