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In episode 288 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome former NHL Head Coach Don Granato.

Granato is a member of possibly the most accomplished hockey family to come out of the United States.  

He got his start coaching in 1993 with the Wisconsin Capitals of the USHL, and since then has been getting his reps in across multiple of leagues and levels, most recently as the Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres.

And as you'll hear there may not be a better person to have a conversation about player development with. His story of how he positioned himself to enhance world class talent is fascinating. We cover a lot of ground in this episode and I sense you’re going to leave with pages of notes. 

Listen as he shares why experimenting in practice is key for team growth, why coaching less should be the objective, and the incredible story of switching from goalie to player.

Video Timestamps:

• 0:00 Learning from other sports
• 3:10 Game-like practices/creating enjoyment
• 6:45 Experimenting with drills
• 11:15 Practice can’t be perfect
• 17:20 Experience working with NTDP/patience in player development
• 24:45 Teaching reading the play
• 29:15 Helping players adapt
• 37:40 Contributing to winning
• 42:25 Switching from goalie to player 
• 51:55 Granato grit
• 57:20 “So you think you have it bad?”
• 58:50 Playing at Madison with Paul Caufield
• 1:01:10 Playing at Wisconsin/knowing when to coach less
• 1:08:40 Early coaching lessons in Green Bay
• 1:12:50 Taking on challenge in ECHL
• 1:18:10 Challenges as a young coach
• 1:21:05 Coaching games or practices?
• 1:24:55 Margins between winning/losing
• 1:29:30 Book recommendations

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