Don Granato, a 58-year-old Downers Grove native who once led the Buffalo Sabres, has a new NHL job.

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Thursday, July 30, that Granato will join head coach Rick Bowness's staff as an assistant coach.

The hire reunites Granato with Columbus. He began his professional playing career with the Columbus Chill in the early 1990s, collecting 90 points in 103 games across two pro seasons before retiring as a player and turning to coaching.

"Don Granato is very smart, hard-working, and has spent a lifetime in this game as a player, head coach, assistant coach and scout, and his experiences will greatly benefit Rick, our staff and most importantly, our players," Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell said in the team's announcement.

Granato has coached for 29 years dating to the 1993-94 season. He got his start as interim head coach of the USHL's Wisconsin Capitols, then built the Green Bay Gamblers into back-to-back regular-season champions in 1995-96 and 1996-97. He won the AHL's coach of the year award in 2000-01 with the Worcester IceCats and led the Peoria Rivermen to a Kelly Cup championship in 1999-2000.

His NHL head coaching opportunity came in Buffalo, where he compiled a 122-125-27 record in 274 games over parts of four seasons before being let go in 2024. Most recently, he coached Team USA at the 2026 IIHF World Championships.

Bowness said he has "great respect" for Granato and is looking forward to working with him and the rest of the staff.

A hockey family rooted in Downers Grove

Granato is part of a Downers Grove family that has left an outsized mark on American hockey. Sister Cammi Granato, a Hockey Hall of Famer, is in her fifth season as an assistant general manager with the Vancouver Canucks. Brother Tony Granato played 13 NHL seasons and now works as a TV analyst for the league and the Chicago Blackhawks. All three siblings grew up in Downers Grove, inspired by the Blackhawks and the 1980 U.S. Olympic gold medal team.

The family connection runs deep.

Brother Rob Granato, a former Wisconsin Badger and former girls hockey director for the Chicago Fury and Naperville Sabres, retweeted the Columbus Dispatch's report of the hire on X on Thursday.

Don Granato played at the University of Wisconsin from 1987 to 1991, tallying 88 points in 162 games and helping the Badgers capture the 1990 NCAA championship.

What's next

Granato joins assistants Jared Boll and Trent Vogelhuber, goaltending coach Niklas Bäckström, and video coaches Cody Ward and Cam Briere on Bowness's staff. The Blue Jackets open the 2026-27 season on Thursday, October 1, at Nationwide Arena against the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. ET.