Granato used the 28-game showing to invest in the organization's future by leaning on young players to take on high-leverage minutes and matchups. Players who enjoyed career-best stretches under his watch included first-round picks Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt, and Tage Thompson.
Granato has served as a head coach at various levels for nearly three decades, beginning in 1993 with the USHL's Wisconsin Capitols. He has won championships at the USHL (1996) and ECHL (2000) levels and was named AHL Coach of the Year in 2001.
Granato spent five seasons as head coach of AHL Worcester (a St. Louis Blues affiliate) before earning his first NHL job as an assistant for St. Louis in 2005-06. He later spent five seasons as a head coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program, where he helped guide the development of several of the premier American-born players in today's NHL.
On the international stage, Granato has won gold and silver medals with Team USA at the U-18 World Championship and earned bronze at the men's World Championship in 2018.
Granato returned to the NHL as an assistant on Joel Quenneville's staff with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18, where he remained for two seasons before coming to Buffalo.
