Don Granato will likely have to watch from afar when the Buffalo Sabres resume their season Wednesday night against the New Jersey Devils in KeyBank Center.
Granato, in his first full season as the Sabres' coach, is not expected to test out of the NHL's Covid-19 protocols in time to lead the team's bench in its first game since Dec. 17, said assistant coach Matt Ellis. Granato, 54, entered protocol Sunday and, as of Monday morning, was asymptomatic, General Manager Kevyn Adams said.
Granato and the Sabres' five players in protocol could shorten their quarantine with two negative PCR tests in a 48-hour span, but few in the NHL have done so this season.
If Granato remains unavailable, Ellis will serve as the Sabres' acting head coach. Ellis, 42, joined the coaching staff as an interim assistant in March 2021 and was elevated to a full-time role in July.
“Ells, he’s goes into that category of people that just love the game," said Sabres alternate captain Kyle Okposo. "I’ve been around for a while and he’s right at the top of people who just care about the game and just want to be here. So, always gonna be an enthusiastic – bring an enthusiastic energy and he ran a great practice (Monday). I thought we had great energy as a group. He did a great job stepping in there."
Ellis played forward in the National Hockey League for nine seasons, including parts of seven with the Sabres from 2008-15. He totaled 21 goals and 49 points in 356 regular-season games.
Upon retiring from his playing career, the native of Welland, Ont., took a job at the Academy of Hockey in LECOM Harborcenter, where he learned under Adams, who was the program's director at the time.
When Adams was hired as the Sabres' senior vice president of business administration in January 2020, Ellis was elevated to director of the academy. Adams then hired Ellis as the Sabres' director of player development in August 2020.
Ellis oversaw the development of Sabres prospects across the globe and led the NHL club's on-ice workouts for the taxi squad during the first half of the abbreviated 2020-21 season. He joined the coaching staff in March 2021 when Granato was named interim coach.
The Sabres are trying to build off the momentum created by a three-game road trip before the break in which they earned five of a possible six points.
"I think part of the character of our group is going in and having a mentality that we’re not waiting to win, that there’s a way to win a game each and every night and there’s certain elements that have to go into that that you need to be prepared for," Ellis said.
Injury update
Defenseman Colin Miller left practice early Tuesday after aggravating a bothersome undisclosed injury. Miller, 29, was still being evaluated by athletic trainers when Ellis spoke to the media. A pending unrestricted free agent, Miller has two goals and 11 points in 28 games.
If Miller can't play Wednesday, the Sabres will have to recall a defenseman from Rochester. Casey Fitzgerald and Mattias Samuelsson are the top candidates for promotion.
Goalie decision
It's unclear whether Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Malcolm Subban will start for the Sabres (10-15-5) against the Devils (10-15-5). Dustin Tokarski isn't ready for game action.
Luukkonen, 22, has a .939 save percentage in five appearances for the Sabres. He earned road wins over Winnipeg and Minnesota by stopping 64 of 68 shots.
Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will be available for Devils coach Lindy Ruff. Blackwood, 25, has a .902 save percentage in 16 games this season. He suffered a neck injury before the holiday break.
