“They Know It’s A Business” | Don Granato On Trade For Bowen Byram

“They Know It’s A Business” | Don Granato On Trade For Bowen Byram

I know you know how this business is but uh losing Casey mid know things like that happen but what were you thinking when that happened yeah that was uh obviously um Casey uh you know I spent a lot of time with Casey over the years watched him evolve as a player and put

The work in to get to the point that he’s gotten um and it was a tough day uh knowing that uh we were we were uh parting ways and obviously wish him the best um he’s done an amazing job J he’s very dedicated committed to the Sabers

Um and and wish him well um on the flip side when I did make the call to to B um it was uh I thought you know anybody that gets traded you know there there’s there’s a you wonder how it’s going to affect them and I was even a little

Hesitant on the phone and wait to see and take a read from him and I could not believe how excited he was about uh coming to our team he knows lots of guys in in our locker room he’s played with guys in our locker room um he spent time

With them even uh recently and um was very very excited uh to join us and that that obviously picked me up hearing that uh and he’s one heck of a player so it was a it was a swap of of two very very accomplished young hockey players and

Young talent and um we’re certainly happy to have him along how much did that help with that he’s known Krebs and cousins I think I think they said since 8 n 10 years old yeah and had Quinn in there and uh you know it’s bicing a bit

So um it it it does it helps it helps the transition and he you know he told me right away he was he was very excited immediately on the phone lots of energy lots of positive energy uh you know it picked me up as as you mentioned it’s

It’s tough to see middlestead go you don’t know what you have coming the other direction and I got off that phone call and I was I was completely energized by him uh and his enthusiasm to uh be part of our organization Casey had become an important leader in the

Room losing some like that on a game day what you I aess sense from from the rest of the guys on how how that kind of impacted them or maybe changed the dynamic as you’re just preparing to play a game yeah I mean it is it was it’s an

Interesting position to be in because uh you know he’s loved in that locker room um I do feel that when you’re you know you know they know it’s a business they know it’s the time of the year are players and uh but the familiarity as as

Paul mentioned with h bo uh coming in there’s several guys in that lock room that can can there’s reason for them to get excited as well even though and and I think that U balanced it out um it balance out obviously you have to play a game these guys in this building and

This rivalry is you know playing the maple leafes is is something that they’re excited about so I think that uh you know that pulled them right into it um the combination of all that sick this morning or the morning skate is he going to go nville Buffalo

Yeah you know what uh Kevin Kevin spoke to him and and you know the thought was because he’s battling an illness sent him right to Buffalo when I got off the phone I text Kevin I said I don’t think he’s going right to Buffalo I think he’s

Going to go right to Nashville and about half an hour later he called Kevin back and said I want to go to Nashville so um obviously feeling better the the flu bug’s been going around if he’s had the same thing our guys have had it’s it’s

Uh it’s a fairly quick resolve at least um maybe and you know that was that was another really good indicator but when I hung up with him I knew he I knew he was going to make that call back and he didn’t from a coaching perspective

Obviously you had a game in front of you today but when you look at what B brings where do you anticipate using him or having an immediate impact uh you know I don’t think there’s any better partner to have than and welcome to the organization than playing with rasmusen

And I expect him to to to slide in there um you know tomorrow I Rasmus is uh he’s a he’s a leader and and um that’s that’s that’s that’s what I expect and I expect that to be a smooth transition based on him knowing uh the locker room fairly

Well and you know guys are accommodating so is part of that because he played so well with I mean he’s he’s been paired with him and played pretty well with him yeah I mean I think that um that’s good to have had that in that experience uh

You know he’ll bring some he’ll bring some experience here that I’m sure will help us but but yes it makes it easy I mean you know him as a player as a talent so um you know I think it’s easy you know to Dos has done so much for

This organization already and I think he’s the guy that will want to be part of uh integrating you know the next guy in L know those play both the left and the right side where do you I said I know you said you playing with ding do

You want him on the left and the right yeah I mean I think everybody makes a big deal of left and right side and and it is if you can’t play the right side and you’re left-handed it’s a big deal um really big deal but there’s guys that

Can do it and guys that are pretty good and guys that like it actually you’re in different postures obviously at the point offensively you get her on your one time side all the time um so it’s it’s uh and then when you’re doing it over and over and drills and practice

Every day and you’re on that offside you get better with at it and you get more comfortable at it I think most of the problem and challenge is guys have shifted to it and they haven’t had time and practice uh so and most teams put righties and lefties together

Historically so but our guys have liked it um I know that some of our lefties prefer it now uh because they’ve had so many reps so not an issue for us Don Victor played tonight for the first time in a few weeks I mean you scored your

Only goal just just what did you think of you know him getting to score and just him getting to play yeah I thought it was uh it was nice to get him nice to get him in the lineup because he works hard he is an absolute great uh person

And a worker and uh and I talked to him before the game and I said let’s communicate and and I want to put you in a bad spot we’ll see how you feel and and he looked at me with 100% confidence said I’m good to go I’m ready and uh and

Obviously he was that was a very big goal and very nice to see uh him persevere and uh and and cash in was it unfortunate because with Matthews you held him almost nothing if not nothing in regulation timeing he gets one chance in overtime that’s in your net that I

Guess that’s just the way kind of player he is yeah he’s an opportunist and and um obviously and nice you know he plays with a playmaker that’s uh dangerous all the time and we let that slip away and back run it from a team building standpoint to have B on a blue line

That’s already you know so young like what does it do do you think for the direction of his team to be able to build it from from the back front you know with all those young defens uh for it’s huge I mean uh to add another defenseman uh that caliber when you have

You know Samuel sandelli yoka Haru emerging as we we’re all watching yoka Haru emerg in the last month really and we put a lot of pressure on yoka Haru I have personally um to the point where I think there times you thought I didn’t

Even like him as a player um and I know that for for a fact but uh but it’s part of the process of getting these guys to become better at the age they are and I think yokaro has done an amazing job this year and really in the last month

Of rising so um you know OPI it’s helped OPI uh UPL and obviously we know we have Levi as a as a you know lot with lots of potential but this is the way winning teams are built um and and you see us with a better focus defensively even in

This building tonight limiting top players those are the areas this franchise has needed to improve in uh We’ve targeted and uh it’s nice to see we’re making improvements it’s also nice to see I think uh Kevin’s been very pragmatic in in making sure we had the

Right pieces at the right time um in the right circumstance I think this is another one um big piece of of uh you know some pragmatic movement to to to make this to keep this thing going in the direction that uh it needs to be

Buffalo Sabres head coach speaks to the media after a 2-1 overtime loss in Toronto. Granato gives an update on the team’s feelings after trading Casey Mittelstadt for Bowen Byram.

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