WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
December Edition
Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal played for seven NHL teams, including the New York Rangers. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
About six years ago, a mutual friend put Seth Appert and Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal in contact with each other.
Appert, now the Rochester Americans’ coach, was working at the U.S. National Team Development Program. Prospal, a veteran of 1,108 NHL games as a player, was coaching in the Tampa Scorpions youth organization.
As they chatted about hockey and player development, Appert realized how Prospal, who on Monday was named one of Rochester’s assistant coaches, embraced ... Read the full article
Nathan Paetsch smiles last week during development camp. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres today named former NHL players Nathan Paetsch and Vinny Prospal as assistant coaches on Seth Appert’s staff with the Rochester Americans.
They replace Mike Weber and Michael Peca, both of whom recently left the AHL team to take assistant coaching jobs in the NHL.
The Sabres also announced the coaching staffs in Buffalo and Rochester have received contract extensions. Sabres coach Don Granato earned an extension prior to last season.
Paetsch, 40, ... Read the full article
Coach Seth Appert shakes hands with Toronto assistant coach coach John Snowden on May 17 following Rochester’s series-clinching win. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Instead of getting into a deep discussion of Xs and Os with job candidates or having them diagram plays, Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert prefers to conduct more personal interviews.
“I’m a people-oriented, relationship-oriented person,” the loquacious Appert said Sunday following the first session of Sabres development camp at LECOM Harborcenter.
Appert, whose two assistant coaches, Michael Peca and Mike Weber, both recently left for NHL jobs, said he wants to talk to ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson scored 28 goals last season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
NASHVILLE – In the case of Sabres winger Victor Olofsson, both sides are willing to accept blame for his disappointing season.
Despite scoring a career-high 28 goals, Olofsson sat out seven late-season games as a healthy scratch, including five critical contests down the stretch.
“He knows he could’ve maybe performed at certain times,” Adams said Tuesday in the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
On the other hand, Adams said “maybe we need to make sure that we’re ... Read the full article
Michael Peca spent two seasons with Rochester. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans must find two new assistant coaches.
Michael Peca, who has been instrumental in developing JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn and some of the Buffalo Sabres’ other forward prospects, has taken a job on coach Peter Laviolette’s staff with the New York Rangers, according to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek.
Peca, a popular former Sabres captain and center, has strong ties to Laviolette, who was named the Rangers’ new coach last week.
Mike Weber greets some fans before Rochester’s game April 15. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
Given the Rochester Americans’ recent success, some of their coaches would inevitably draw interest from NHL teams.
On Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues hired Mike Weber, who was in charge of the defense and penalty kill on Seth Appert’s staff, as an assistant coach.
Weber, 35, joined the Amerks as an assistant coach prior to the 2020-21 season following a three-year stint as an assistant with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires.
Rochester coach Seth Appert, shown here standing behind center Mason Jobst, knows his players will benefit from a long playoff run. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Before the Americans staved off elimination by defeating the Hershey Bears on Wednesday, coach Seth Appert asked his assistants and some veterans how many times they had competed in a conference finals or championship.
Michael Peca, who played 13 seasons and captained the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup final in 1999, told him three. Mike Weber, who played 10 years, said he never advanced that far. Defenseman Matt Bartkowski, a ... Read the full article
Sean Malone enjoyed a career year last season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – At times last season, center Sean Malone said coach Seth Appert would pull him aside and tell him, “You’re right there.”
In his return to the Sabres organization, the West Seneca native quickly seized a leading role in Rochester, developing into arguably the Americans’ most versatile presence.
Malone had become what he called a “bubble guy,” offering valuable depth. Sooner or later, a recall to the Sabres seemed inevitable.
“And then I ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka ranks among the AHL’s rookie scoring leaders. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Sabres prospect JJ Peterka was recently working his way back into the lineup when the Americans wanted him to start killing penalties during practice.
For Peterka, 20, earning the coaches’ trust signaled his development had reached another level three months into his rookie season.
“He was very proud, he was very excited,” Amerks coach Seth Appert told the Times Herald last week.
The German was so excited that whenever he made a nice ... Read the full article
Ethan Prow has spent most of his career in the AHL. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.
Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.
The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article
