BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres announced on Tuesday that they have hired Seth Appert as the newest Head Coach of the Rochester Americans. After the official announcement from Sabers General Manager Kevyn Adams, Appert now replaces the vacancy left by former coach Chris Taylor.
“Seth has a proven track record of developing talent at various levels and we are looking forward to him being the next head coach of the Rochester Americans…His approach to coaching and leadership, both on and off the ice, is a natural fit with the philosophy Ralph Krueger and I have started to implement as we build the organization. Seth will be an asset to Rochester and to the Sabres organization, and I’m excited to see him succeed behind the bench with the Amerks.”
-Adams to WKBW
In the past three seasons under Taylor, the Americans published a 116-65-33 record, making the playoffs twice with a hypothetical position in the 2020 postseason. Taylor was relieved of his duties at the end of the 2019-20 season, along with Assistant Coaches Gord Dineen & Toby Petersen and GM Randy Sexton.
Appert has been a fixture at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP), guiding the U-18 squad to a gold medal at the Five Nations Tournament in 2018. Additionally, he pushed the United States U-18 team to a silver medal in the 2018 IIHF Men’s U-18 World Championships in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia.
Serving as an assistant along the way, Appert pushed the 2017 United States IIHF World Juniors team to a gold medal, defeating Canada in Montreal. Also as an assistant, Appert served on the University of Denver bench when the Pioneers won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2004 and 2005.
“It’s honor to become head coach of the Rochester Americans and be part of the Buffalo Sabres organization…I know the passion of both fan bases and I look forward to helping develop players for the Sabres while building on the winning culture in Rochester. I would like to thank Terry and Kim Pegula, Kevyn Adams and Ralph Krueger for this incredible opportunity and their belief in me.”
-Appert to WKBW
Appert will join the upstate New York club effective immediately.
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