Hockey NEEDS more coaches like this…

#nhl #hockey #buffalosabres
Tage Thompson has become a superstar.. but this wasn't always the case. We take a deep dive into the development of Tage Thompson and how Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato played a massive role...
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[@AAbram000]

A few things you overlooked. 1. The void left by Eichel made room for him to be a 1C 2. He had good chemistry with Tuch who is of similar size and skill set 3. I think his wife beat cancer and they had a they had a baby which basically made him go super saiyan.

[@PMorrow84]

As a Stars fan, watching him and Tuch make moves against the Stars that most teams can't do, and many of the game's elite struggle to do, I'd definitely put him up in the top grouping. Every time I saw him get the puck, and even just a few feet of space, I held my breath.

[@SabresGuy87]

I think his wife having cancer took his mind off the game and he couldn't focus, his wife beating cancer has given him the strength to beat the doubters too and now his head is on straight and his focus on hockey

[@32a34a]

Having a wing span of a 747 helps and also his speed at 6-7 is just downright ridiculous. He does things to defenseman that are pretty funny unless of course they belong to your team. He is going to be fine.

[@neithermanc1]

#3 lol the sabres and especially tage are very fun to watch

[@stevenhaak5082]

his wife had a piece of her leg removed due to cancer i believe. but yeah when he "wasnt good yet" he was dealing with that at home. She made a good recovery and now we have TNT baby.

[@fign66]

Granato has some of the best emotional intelligence I’ve ever seen in a hockey coach. He seems to be very good at understanding the mentality of his players both individually and as a whole team, and using that understanding to promote growth and improvement. You can really see that his background was as a prospect development coach.

[@matterman2003]

It's amazing that Granato is getting the very most out of each of these young players at their current level and helping them get to new levels every year...look at what he is doing with Cozens...the Workhorse from Whitehorse and likely the future captain of this young talented Sabre team. I mean my God he has Casey Middlestadt looking like a good two way player now.

[@ninetailedfox579121]

Also about what he was saying about the Blues game, saying they would start hot but struggle with fatigue as the night went on. You really have to have a good handle on your guys' mindsets to be able to predict that well.

[@steveoshei1819]

@@matterman2003 Look at Oloffson.He was a power play specialist. Now he's a solid all around player.

[@matterman2003]

@@steveoshei1819 yep and 18 of his 23 goals have come 5v5 this year. Not just a PP specialist anymore, he has found a nice role with Jost and Middlestadt as his linemates

[@linksjerrylikes]

In 2019 Don Granato had a near-death experience spending weeks in ICU with pneumonia complications. Also Thompson had his wife's serious illness. These two guys also had slow starts to their careers, especially with the Sabres' more than decade long historic futility. So both of their lives and careers were on the ropes. But now with the two illnesses are thankfully behind them, I'd be willing to bet that life has more meaning to Granato and Thompson. They've formed a special kind of partnership. It's a great story...sometimes all a guy needs is a chance.

[@HappyWolverine]

nice take!

[@HenrY-jj9ro]

I’m so glad we have Dom coaching us, after years of rocky coaching it’s such a relief to have a man that can get the most out of his players and someone that the players clearly respect. Every time I hear him talk about the team in press conferences I get more confident in him as a coach. No doubt in my mind that Dom will be the first sabers coach to make the playoffs in over a decade, led by someone he had confidence in all along, superstar Tage Thompson.

[@hockeypsychology]

He’s been impressing me as well with his post game interviews. That calm & confident attitude is crucial…

[@kevinsnell5031]

Granato is the best sense Lindy Ruff ,Buffalo sabers are fun to watch now . Keep it up coach Granato. Thank you.

[@tygrkhat4087]

Lindy Ruff.

[@kevinsnell5031]

Thank you for noticing that I think Lindy deserves more respect than misspelling his name.

[@stevewalsh3001]

Granato and the Sabres are the silver lining to the kick in the nads that was the Bills loss.

[@ericfix0521]

Eichel was an absolute black hole of whiny energy, with that child gone, there's room for these men to turn to stars. Eichel is an incredible talent wirh the leadership skills of a 6 yr old

[@camrynb1422]

100% agree! Eichel was self centered and as a result, played selfish hockey. There was no teamwork and the plays were predictable...it was irritating to watch lol.

[@sicfrynut]

@@camrynb1422 probably as infuriating as watching him suddenly become healthy once he whined his way to vegas.

[@apferrando]

Here's a kid you watched and saw those flashes of brilliance. A giant out there that handles the puck in tight spaces like he's 2 feet shorter at times, but then suddenly pulls a toe drag followed by a wide deke that starts near his feet in Buffalo and reaches the international date line before it finally hits his backhand. I'm glad it's all coming together, he's so fun to watch.

[@tygrkhat4087]

Plus, his blistering slap shot; that he delivers with accuracy and a sneaky wrister.

[@gregorykolbas5603]

Granato is the answer for the Sabres organization, his positive demeanor and calming voice is a welcome to a young developing team. Appreciate your analysis.

[@FenixDown87]

Don Granato really showed he knows how to get the most out of his guys

[@hockeypsychology]

Even a guy like skinner, he’s doing a good job so far

[@Scottsdaleofficesteve]

He never tried to 'force' his style of play like the coach that preceded him. Hes put all his players in a position to succeed by utilizing their best skillsets. Tage can finally showcase his immense skillset and shot in the middle of the ice, Skinner can finally showcase his scoring prowess by playing alongside good playmakers on the top line and PP, Dahlin has finally been given the freedom to be the offensive defenseman he was drafted to be...the list goes on... He just knows how to best utilize the talent he has which is where past coaches have failed and tried putting square pegs in round holes

[@douglasthompson750]

@@Scottsdaleofficesteve Awesome take Jack. Couldn't have said it any better. To some up in one tiny word the problem with Tage's previous coaches: EGO!!! Granato didn't reroute natural flow he just let it flow.

[@ninetailedfox579121]

@@hockeypsychology Skinner certainly was no slouch in Carolina and the fact that he's on pace for the best season of his career at 30 really shows how much Granato's coaching works. Same could be said for Okposo as well, not necessarily in points but he's been playing better than I ever saw him play in the Eichel era.

[@steveoshei1819]

@@hockeypsychology Olofsson? Dahlin? This team could be elite!

[@dancarpentieri7762]

The Sabres now have one of the best 1 2 center duos in the NHL in Tage and Cozens. The rise of Tage has been nothing like we've ever seen, literally. To go from an afterthought to a top 5 player in the world is mind boggling. And the scary thing is, i don't think he's even reached his ceiling yet...

[@clipperscards2633]

feels so good to be a sabres fan

[@rickmartin9245]

It's amazing how fast he has grown. From 4th liner to All-Star in a year and a half. Geezus!!!!!

[@kkacperowski]

crazy how he skates and moves at his size. kudos to him. such a beast now.

[@hockeypsychology]

Just an absolute force

[@AcousticHunter]

I have Thompson top 5, he's just starting, he's having so much 3-4-5 pts/game, pure domination with his size and skills 🤯 great vid!

[@BoboMcBooboy]

Honestly, I'm just really happy Buffalo fans have something to actually be happy about...

[@johnjohnston3879]

Definitely elite talent. Upper drawer.

[@erz3030]

It's sure made the RoR trade look actually even, if not lopsided in Buffalo's favor going forward (considering Tage's cap hit vs production capability). Glad RoR got his cup, which he wouldn't have won had he stayed on the Sabres. But now we have Tage for a long time to help build around. I'm honestly more impressed with his play than I was in all of Eichels time in Buffalo. Tage can do things Jack can't because of his sheer size and power.

[@steveoshei1819]

If Tage doesn't improve anymore (which he will) and produces at this level for the rest of his career the Sabres won the trade by a mile! It's truly unbelievable what he's become.

[@Jabberwok28]

Here is something that not many are speaking of and that is the waiver-wire pick-up of Jost. It took a month or two but putting him on a line with Mittlestadt and Olofsson has paid amazing dividends. They are turning about to be a rathe effective line and each player is bring out better elements of the other. I will say the same thing about the “4th Line” of Krebs, Okposo, and Zemgus. They have been industrious and showing Krebs how to work hard and his offensive instincts a getting polished in the crucible. Adams and Granato have crafted a team that, while nerve wracking, are showing more and more signs of maturity. It is a shame that they don’t get the recognition the NHL’s favorites do.

[@jeffgillman8918]

Absolutely spot on. What I love about Granato is he allows his players to make mistakes. Thompson had all the skills but Granato made him a Star.

[@kingsally2864]

i love this trade because it's a great example how both teams can win a trade

[@hadyno5706]

As a die hard Sabres fan I’m familiar with the highs and the very lows, although with that being said here in buffalo we have started to get a different kind of feeling. Don has really made his mark in the buffalo team. Is Sabres fan for the first time in many years are looking at each game being played and looking at who needs win and who needs to lose. Don has turned a very young team into one of the best offensive teams in the NHL. Players like Cousins, Dahlin, perteka, Quinn, powers, and many more have really evolved under Don and bring in some more buffalo pride with the addition of tuch a buffalo born player is what the Sabres needed to really bring this team to life.

[@hadyno5706]

I think it’s team the Sabres make a move for another buffalo born player…… #88 Patrick Kane

[@shawnhill4779]

@@hadyno5706 I'm curious ... what from the Sabres would you trade for Kane. It would seem that Chicago would want quite a bit in return.

[@jameskowalski1184]

@@shawnhill4779 we are very deep with prospects. Chicago is rebuilding. Sounds like a good fit

[@joebacon9555]

These guys are the most fun I've had in a decade as a Sabres fan. You can feel it. It's palpable. Wanna race?

[@scottcoxworthy]

This guy and Marchand have carried my fantasy hockey team this year. So many SOG and points and even good for SHP. So glad he's doing so well. The kids a beast and entertaining to watch. He moves like a 5'10 smaller guy but he's a giant lol.

[@adamjunemalm1122]

His hands is magic 🔥

[@thedankswordsmantm]

I am so impressed by Tage and Granato, that's some impressive faith. He's clearly Top 10 this year, if this continues (and why shouldn't it continue?) he'll be a top 10 in general. He's probably nominated for Hart if Buffalo makes the playoffs and Granato is probably a Jack Adams nominee either way.

[@wo1911]

Playing with Tuch has helped alot

[@TheDeathWillCome2012]

As a Blues fan, trading Thompson for O’Reilly worked out for both teams. The Blues won a Cup and I hope that one of these days The Sabers will do the same.

[@wadedevinney9681]

Sabres fan here. I’m as surprised as you are.

[@1paulgood]

Totally agree… I coach high school and I can see a center quickly. I don’t know the exact reason why I see it I just do. Not all great players are centers. I’ve seen my most skilled at wing but don’t fit what I see as a center. I completely agree with coach Granato here.

[@rickhammond2473]

Have been watching hockey since 1979 and he is the best player that I have watched play the game.He reminds me of Mario Lemieux.

[@user-kt8vn6ip2w]

Thank you for the video. The heart of both the coach & players (& the team as a whole) is evident in their interviews & gameplay, which makes for an endearing team. While i definitely appreciate the history & insight, i think a sprinkling of the records & significant stats for Thompson would have polished off the info nicely. Good work!

[@PhenomenaxLegendKillers]

Thompson has earned that "A" on his jersey next season 💯💪

[@BrrrtReynolds]

As a lifelong Sabres fan I approve of this message

[@rickhammond2473]

Have been watching hockey since 1979 and he is the best player that I have watched play the game.He reminds me of Mario Lemieux.

[@BrrrtReynolds]

@@rickhammond2473 he's does I never made that connection until now

[@theryno85]

I think, given the right mentality and building more heavily on the D, this team can and will be one of the ELITE teams in the NHL. Same energy and comradery that the 06-07 Sabres had. They all grew together as a cohesive unit into the best team in the league. Seeing Tuch-Skinner-Tage look like the Sedin triplets just proves that.

[@ericmurphy447]

Thank you Don Gronato. For rescuing Tage from the list of "Biggest What Ifs"

[@scottrgarland]

As a Red Wings fan, this is what I'm hoping and praying for Zadina. The dude has a mountain of potential and just needs to believe. He has that one problem that Tomas Tatar had where he just thinks too much and hesitates, thinking he has more time than he does. If he starts seeing and thinking the game faster I think Zadina could easily be a top 6 forward.

[@lukeherrington8555]

You actually highlighted why Z won’t make that sort of stride. Zadina has potential but doesn’t believe in himself. Tage has believed in himself for years while almost all have written him off as a 3rd/4th line winger. I remember when the trade took place for RoR and it was an utter fleecing but Armstrong. As Thompson was the only “prospect” in the trade I dug into him and literally the dude had talent but just like any large guy he looked awkward and at best you could see him as like a 3rd line winger with enough upside to fill in for injuries at the top six. Thompson was drafted and quickly tossed aside and was an afterthought even on a bottom dwelling team like Buffalo. Zadina was drafted 4th overall and has had very high expectations with his upside. I hope you can see the polar differences. And before you berate me for being a Sabres fan I am in fact a Red Wings fan. Zadina will be traded for another underachieving, highly touted, early drafted player as a means of a hockey trade. But if he stays Lalonde doesn’t have a history with Zadina where he believes in him.

[@Dilly_Dilly_Dale]

That goal against Tampa was just filthy

[@TimothyAlleman]

Granato is the best coach we've had in Buffalo since the legendary Lindy! And Thompson is an absolute ALL STAR! Love this team, this coach, this player!

[@bonbonjams33]

Donny meatballs !!!

[@someloser2847]

The hockey world needs buffalo to make the playoffs. They’re an exciting upstart and the fans have suffered enough

[@dangonzooo]

I love Donny Meatballs so much, let's get that playoff berth 🤞

[@the1andonly759]

Top 10 for me, great vid

[@Taooflu]

Great success story! I’m hoping Kirby Dach in Mtl grows the same way, both big guys with good hands but Tage has more jump.

[@khuffy1737]

Coach meatballs he's the man so glad when they gave him a job go Goats

[@wholespeed]

The dude is a stud. Both Granato and Tage. They don’t call him “dynamite” for nothing…TNT!!!

[@arcticmorning]

Fantastic overview.

[@heatley1]

He’s a beast!

[@markcottringer6073]

certainly not surprised he broke out this year. It was just a matter of time. Mad skills, size and a coach who knows every inch of his game Granato and the Sabres are finally seeing a top 10 NHL superstar. Hopefully the other young players being developed by Buffalo show the same type of growth. Are we set in goal? That has been and continues to be a huge concern for me. Does anyone else feel this way? Ideas?

[@Zsklar]

Top 10? How about top 5 or even top 3! He's a total stud. Incredible skills. Smooth skating. Stickhandling is off the chart. Sniper like wrist shot and off the chart hand eye coordination. Has #1 center vision and sees everything develop in front of him. To think he is going to get even better is scary! We could be talking about the best player in the NHL by the end of the season. Wouldn't surprise me one bit!

[@krakhedd]

It kills me that it took him so effing long to stop growing so he could really truly learn his technique and muscle memory. We might be talking about somebody who gets 7 or 8 hundred career goals if he'd been able to put it all together as young as OV, Mario, and other legendary centers. Perrault

[@killachinchilla9445]

I can name 10 guys better than Thompson without having to think. There's 4 guys on the Leafs, 2 guys on the Oilers, 3 guys on the Lightning, 3 guys on the Bruins, 2 guys on the Av's and this is just talking about 5 of the 32 teams in the NHL. One good season doesn't make Thompson a top 3 superstar.

[@JT-yl9yt]

@@killachinchilla9445 one good season? He just netted nearly 40 goals last season and didn't even get prime minutes from the start lmao. Laughable that you say 4 players on the Leafs other than Matthews and Marner everyone else is a irrelevant to the discussion.

[@theprime6489]

@@killachinchilla9445 You should watch Thompson highlights. No one in the league has better highlights than him. Some of the goals are mindboggling and that one timer from the left is the best in the league.

[@killachinchilla9445]

@@theprime6489 There's Nathan in Colorado, Sid in Pittsburgh, Matthews in Toronto, Connor in Edmonton who all have a larger highlight reel and have been doing it since they been in the league. Thompson just started this year and he's been in the league for 7 years. As for one timers, ever heard of two guys named Ovi and Laine?

[@tangosucka1142]

The Buffalo Sabres

[@Hockeystar-xz4ch]

Are awesome

[@theprime6489]

Havent even peaked offensively. Next year they will be doing this video on Cozens!

[@30AndHatingIt]

If the Sabres complete this push for the playoffs successfully, ending the longest drought in NHL history… Granato should be a lock for the Jack Adams trophy.

[@BM-vi5hk]

Tage Thompson is the Sabres' version of Josh Allen.

[@Mechanicsville804]

Great video!!

[@SabresGuy87]

I bet the team that passed on giving Adams a 5th for him is pissed 😂

[@blairarsenault8350]

I agree wholeheartedly, ide like to see him in a Bruins Jersey

[@jennifercromwell1634]

Granato is one of the best coaches we ever had!

[@ryanc9888]

With his size and skill at centre he resembles Mario Lemieux. And no, I’m obviously not saying he’s as good but he does remind me of Lemieux with his great hands and reach.

[@dan_halfsvear]

with TT and Dahlin it would be nice to see Sabers succeed

[@johnshields6852]

Belief in your game is huge, there are guys in JR hockey and college, AHL that could thrive in the NHL but just like all sports the positions are limited and the opportunities are limited, he's obviously making the most of his opportunities.

[@foggydew646]

You nailed it, and the Oilers would be happy to have him...

[@emilyballard992]

This season no but for seasons to come definitely. The sabers got so many rookies that all have talent the sabers especially the veterans need to shape their game around the new kids and adjust to the new style of play that’s being brought to hockey now. And this is all coming from a sabers fan btw😂

[@joseyzadoria7815]

He already has 34 goals in the half way mark in the season and is on pace to not only eclipse last years goal totals but to surpass 50 goals this season. The question of him being a superstar should be unquestionable should he reach such benchmarks in the 2023 season.

[@Tanharlax73]

The funny thing is buffalo is my fav team

[@Tanharlax73]

I live in buffalo so I got the their games all the time

[@mnwildfan97]

Granato Burnsville Legend

[@keithf7351]

Someone may have already commented on this coaching. I feel that many of the players on the Sabres have elevated their game because of the way granato coaches. Thompson, definitely but also Skinner's resurgence. You don't sit a $9m player in the pressbox like giving a little kid a timeout. You help work through the problems he's having. Dahlin is another example.

[@Jacob-rq5zb]

Great points and This is why I’m worried about slafkovski they are playing him 9 min a night on a 3rd line with AHL caliber linemates. So obviously he is not performing.

[@SabresGuy87]

Some players take time, some need opportunity, Tage got both

[@KeyserSoze6117]

And Tage was sent down to the AHL to work on his game. He was brutal in the NHL and could not put it together. Some players take time - I would argue that players like Slaf shouldn’t be gifted ice time, but need to be given the ability to learn the pro game and make mistakes. That is the biggest difference I have seen in Granato vs other coaches - young players would make a mistake and get stapled to the bench for the rest of the game. It is refreshing to see Granato allow players to keep making mistakes, and then try to learn from them. Rookies may sit a game or two, but the reasoning is explained and they seem to come back with a new purpose.

[@Ween1776]

@Joe Germain DG man management is perfect. When he sat Quinn and JJP for a couple games he never got down on them or let them get down on themselves and made it a point to let the media know why they were sitting for a couple games. It isn't a bad thing to let them sit in a Sabres Box with coaches and see the game from the 300s so the coaches can do what they're supposed to do, coach. DG isn't getting enough credit for that. It's no coincidence that when he does that with rookies they come back stronger and score. Also, not enough attention was paid to the team sending Tage down for a couple months. He worked on what he needed to without thousands of people watching him and could instantly tell when he got back his confidence wad through the roof. More rookies need to be sent down for a year or so even tho the fans can sometimes be against it.

[@Digitalmonster_2]

i was at the blues vs sabers game last night

[@noahcollins6216]

Hes a top 10 top 5

[@hockeypsychology]

You have him as top 5?

[@sean7735]

Beyond top 10!

[@PTKrapmusic]

He is and great video

[@nickdemarco8110]

In my opinion top-10 player top 10 coach pretty soon top-10 team

[@JoseRosario787]

Donny G brining good hockey back to buffalo 🦬

[@hersheytube3890]

great video

[@Gergentine]

Playing with McDavid and Matthews in the summer helps too 😆

[@JasonJNagy]

Absolutely agree

[@JJ............................]

After seeing Tage's success switching from wing to center, I'm hoping the Wild do the same with Boldy. Dean is already putting him between Zucc and Kaprizov after a penalty kill, so I think it's only a matter of time before Boldy is Kaprizov's long term center. Probably won't happen till the Wild hopefully get more scoring help from Sammy Walker and Rossi.

[@B0RGUS]

Great video but I would throw a correction out there about his coaches. He came into the NHL in 2017-2018 playing for St. Louis, then getting traded to Buf for the 2018-2019 season. He never played for Bylsma.

[@gebobs]

Quibble: Bylsma never coached Thompson. It was Yeo (STL), Housley, Krueger, and Granato.

[@jeffnossan1083]

Top 10 for sure

[@FriENTlyFire]

Donny meatballs is a blessing

[@axe2grind244]

Giving him a metric shit ton of money when many said it was too soon was also a very nice vote of confidence I’m sure. Knowing his wife will be ok is a burden he no longer has to deal with as well. He’s like Vic Hedman and Steve Stamkos put together. Crazy..

[@ShawnBlaque]

Yakupov the Oilers legend lmao

[@toddrobert384]

He’s like a basketball center 😂

[@rogerlingenfelter2524]

Great prospect, I call him that because, "he ain't done growing yet!" And Don ain't done growing him !!

[@Katie-hb8iq]

You also forgot to mention his intentional diet changes to make him more lean to give him more mobility. He is on a specialized diet due to his size. When he wasn't a super star, he was eating what everyone else ate.

[@Ween1776]

That's interesting. I never heard that before

[@tomm5780]

I am not sure about top 10, but if not, very close. I enjoyed the video......nice!

[@kydop6128]

Go Sabres! Playoffs, PLEASE!

[@rickhammond2473]

Keep playing like they are they will have no problem making the playoffs.

[@upload638]

I'm no genius coach here, but if I have a kid who can cover 85% of the ice due to his size, I'd stick him center too. HIRE ME

[@williewalker8048]

The guy can dangle which is Mario Lemieux like. As he grows and the Sabres become a full-fledged contender this guy is going to do more than a 5 goal game as his claim to fame.

[@kennyg1358]

Needs to string together a few seasons like this to be top ten in my books. Obviously trending the right way.

[@yaboycjm5581]

Where is the rest of the video it’s only playing the intro for me

[@danielflynn8530]

I think one of the things that may have hindered his credibility was where he played college hockey as UConn has been developing their program but hasn’t had much successful players that have come through the past seasons since they started in the Hockey East Program. A few players have had some NHL time but not much success such as Letunov (SJ).

[@Freedom_is_essential1]

I think this year Tage is a top 10 player. Overall, I’d put him top 20. Trying to be non-biased.

[@moosewhizzerdave2066]

Bonus: he looks like he could be Victor Olofsson's big brother. Even though Olofsson is a few years older.

[@stevesand8845]

tage thompson being descrininated against because he’s too big to be a center! he’s so freaking smother though with that stick handling ability

[@frankk6308]

Let’s go buffalo only 1 point out of the playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jackbarr6717]

Skinner/Thompson/Tuch has been money this year

[@martincamenzuli5572]

def top 10