Buffalo Sabres fire coach Ralph Krueger after 12-game winless streak
The Buffalo Sabres, who are winless in their last 12 games, fired coach Ralph Krueger, the team announced Wednesday morning.
The Sabres (6-18-4) have the fewest points in the NHL with 16 and are in eighth place in the East Division, six points behind the New Jersey Devils. They have just two points in their last 12 games and are in the midst of an 0-10-2 skid.
"We feel that we have to start to improve," general manager Kevyn Adams said. "Of course results matter. This is a results business and where we are is unacceptable. ... But it's deeper than that. To change the culture and do what we have to do to get this headed in the right direction, I felt this is the move we had to make."
Don Granato was named interim coach, but Adams said he was beginning a search for a full-time coach immediately.
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"What I don't want to do is rush into anything or make a quick decision without truly taking as much time as we need," he said. "This is about getting it right."
Assistant Steve Smith was also fired.
Krueger's last game in Buffalo was a 3-2 loss against the Devils Tuesday night.
Krueger was in his second season in Buffalo and posted a 30-31-8 mark last year in a season that was shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sabres did not qualify for the postseason last year.
Adams put the onus of players, too.
"There has to be a pride that goes with putting on a Buffalo Sabres jersey," he said.
Krueger is the third NHL coach to be fired during this shortened, 56-game season with all divisional play. He’s the first outside the North Division, which has seen Montreal let go of Claude Julien and Calgary replace Geoff Ward with two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Darryl Sutter.
Contributing: Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coach Ralph Krueger fired by Buffalo Sabres after 12-game skid
