HC Granato has added a championship-winning coach to his coaching staff with new hire Mr. Matt Smith from his position as Hockey Director/Head Coach for St. Ignatius in the CCHL the oldest youth Hockey league in the state of Illinois.
Fresh off of his and the school’s first John F. Kennedy Memorial Cup championship season Mr. Smith comes to the Sabres to assist HC Granato and his staff with Buffalo’s youthful team as a video coordinator.
Mr. Smith has been coaching for nearly two decades from CanAm summer camps and a camp in Ontario to becoming the JV coach at Evanston Township High School for the 2013-14 Hockey season.
The following season Mr. Smith served as a Regional Scout for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
During the first three seasons as the HD/HC for St. Ignatius, Mr. Smith earned CCHL Coach of the Year and the AHAI High School Coach of the Year last season.
The Chicago Catholic Hockey League began in 1963 with their Kennedy Cup trophy becoming one of the most coveted High School trophies in their state with a rich history of talented student-athletes including NHLers Mr. Chris Chelios and Mr. Ed Olczyk.
A skilled winning Hockey Director/Head Coach of high school-age Hockey players and youth development programs seems to be the perfect fit as a video coordinator to be able to give insightful advice on the Sabres own youth movement to HC Granato.
Buffalo Winter 