Sabres Head Coach Don Granato Fined by the NHL

The Buffalo Sabres sit 11 points out of a playoff spot. With just 23 games left in the season, barring a miracle, they will miss the postseason for a 13th straight year.

The trade deadline is one week from tomorrow, which means we are almost at the point where the Sabres will be making some roster changes in all likelihood.

The team is in the middle of a Florida road trip. They fell 3-2 to the Panthers this past Tuesday, with a game in Tampa against the Lightning tonight. Defenseman Erik Johnson will likely miss the game, as he currently has a flu bug that has infiltrated the roster.

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As for other Sabres news, the NHL has fined head coach Don Granato $25,000 for his conduct on Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers.

During the third period, rookie forward Zach Benson was called for tripping which led to the eventual game-winning goal. Benson was hit off balance by a Panthers player as he tried to attack the puck-handler, which caused him to accidentally trip him. That's why Granato was so enraged.

Now, it will cost him $25k.

The NFL gets a lot of blame for their officiating, and rightfully so, but the NHL is as bad or worse. Coaches, players and fans are tired of inconsistency with calls on the ice, which can have a direct impact on the game's outcome. We saw that on Tuesday between the Sabres and Panthers.

It's unclear whether or not Granato will return as Sabres coach after the season. As much as his players love him, at some point results are results and some change has to be made.