Stacy Roest was named general manager of the Rochester Americans by the Buffalo Sabres on June 30, 2026.

In his new role, Roest, who will also serve as director of player personnel for the Sabres, will lead Buffalo’s player development process, both on and off the ice.

Prior to joining the Sabres as a pro scout for the 2025-26 season, Roest spent the previous 12 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning as their director of player development. In 2019-20, he also became Tampa Bay’s assistant general manager while also adding general manager duties of the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate.

The Lightning advanced to the postseason in 11 of 12 seasons during Roest’s tenure, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 while also reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and 2022. The Crunch, meanwhile, qualified for the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs four consecutive years while finishing third or better in the North Division standings and reaching the 35-win mark each time between 2022 and 2025.

Roest, 52, most recently served as associate general manager for Team Canada at the 2025 Spengler Cup, an annual international tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. There, he worked with Team Canada general manager Marc Bergevin, whom Buffalo recently hired as associate general manager under Jarmo Kekäläinen.

The Lethbridge, Alberta, native played parts of five NHL seasons as a forward with the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild from 1998 to 2003, totaling 76 points (28+48) in 244 games.

 

Roest also skated in 309 career American Hockey League games with the Adirondack Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins, collecting 99 goals and 286 points. He finished his career playing for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, in Switzerland’s top league, from the 2003-04 season until he retired in 2012.

Internationally, Roest also represented Canada at the Spengler Cup seven times during his career, including twice as team captain. 

Michael Leone enters his third season as head coach of the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

He was named to the position on June 6, 2024 ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

During his first two seasons with the Amerks, Leone has guided the club to a 73-53-11-7 record in the regular season before making two playoff appearances, which includes a trip North Division Finals in 2025.

Leone, the 34^th head coach in the 69-year history of the franchise, embarked on his AHL head coaching career following two seasons as head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League. His previous coaching experience also includes a successful three-year stretch as an assistant coach at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), as well as brief stints at both the collegiate and professional levels.

 

Leone amassed a 66-41-10-7 record in his two seasons with Green Bay, leading the Gamblers to back-to-back 30-plus win seasons as well as consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in over a decade. Leone piloted Green Bay’s resurgence through the 2022-23 campaign, helping the team finish with the most wins (32) and points (71) since 2016-17. The following year saw the Gamblers capture two more wins and earn a third-place finish in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings, culminating with a return trip to the postseason for the second straight year.

 

Before joining the Gamblers, Leone served as an assistant coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2019-20 to 2021-22, alternating duties between the U.S National U18 and U17 Teams. He also spent time as an assistant coach for the Bowling Green State University men’s ice hockey team (2018-19) and for the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL (2017-18).

 

During his three seasons with the NTDP, Leone helped implement a successful development model that produced an astounding 41 NHL Draft picks, including 13 future first-round selections, four of which were chosen in the opening round of last year’s draft.

 

A native Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Leone has extensive coaching experience at the international level, most recently serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. Junior Select team in 2023. He served in the same capacity with the 2022 U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and at the 2021 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament, where he helped guide the U.S. to the championship. Additionally, Leone was an assistant coach at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, was behind the bench for Team USA's 2019 Under-17 Four Nations championship-winning team and for the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, where the U.S. placed second.

 

Leone played three years for the Western Michigan University before embarking on a four-year professional career in the ECHL split between the Kalamazoo Wings (2012-13) and Toledo Walleye (2014-17), along with one season overseas with Villard-de-Lans in France. He also played three seasons of junior hockey in the North American Hockey League with the St. Louis Bandits.

 

He has two stepsons Benny (12) and Adam (10) with his wife, Sandra, and their daughter, Ivy (2).

Nathan Paetsch enters fourth season as Assistant Coach in 2026-27 after spending the two previous seasons as a Development Coach for the Buffalo Sabres organization.

In his role, Paetsch, a native of LeRoy, Sask., oversees the defense and the penatly kill units.

A two-time Calder Cup winner, Paetsch announced his retirement in December 2020, ending an illustrious 17-year playing career with nearly 900 games in the National Hockey League, American Hockey League and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany.

 

The 42-year-old Paetsch appeared in 258 career games over parts of seven seasons in the red, white and blue, recording 100 points on 23 goals and 77 assists. His seven seasons in Rochester trail only Darryl Sly for the most by a defenseman in the 69-year history of the franchise and he’s one of only 20 defensemen all-time with at least 250 games as an Amerk. He also added four points (2+2) in 26 playoff appearances for Rochester, leading the Amerks to the postseason in each of his first two years with the team.

 

It was off the ice, however, where Paetsch’s contributions were the most impactful. In his seven seasons with the team, he was unanimously named the winner of the organization’s McCulloch Trophy for his commitment to the Rochester community on five different occasions, the most by any player. He also remains the only Amerk in franchise history to receive the award, coinciding with being named Rochester’s AHL Man of the Year for his community service, in three straight years from 2018-2020.

 

Paetsch is also a four-time recipient of his team’s AHL Man of the Year award as well as a three-time nominee for the league’s Fred T. Hunt Award, presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey.

 

A seventh-round selection (202^nd overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in 2003, Paetsch joined the Amerks as a rookie for the 2003-04 season following five years of junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors. The following year, he and the Amerks enjoyed a record-setting season for the most points and longest home win streak while winning the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular season champions thanks to an AHL-best 51-19-4-6 record. Paetsch would be the only Amerk to appear in all 80 games that season.

 

His best season as an Amerk came during the 2005-06 campaign when he posted career-highs in goals (11), assists (39) and points (50) to lead all Rochester defensemen and finish ninth in scoring among all AHL blueliners. For his efforts, he would be named Amerks MVP, becoming just the third defenseman in team history to earn the honors.

 

That year would also see Paetsch make his NHL debut for the Buffalo Sabres, paving way for a full-time spot in the NHL with the Sabres and later the Columbus Blue Jackets over the next four seasons.

 

Paetsch played an integral role during Buffalo’s record-setting season in 2006-07, his first at the NHL level, recording a career-high 24 points (2+22) in 63 games. He helped the Sabres set franchise records for the most consecutive wins and road wins to begin a season while also leading Buffalo to the 50-win mark for just the second time in franchise history. The Sabres also tied the franchise mark for the most points in a season on their way to capturing their first President’s Trophy as regular season champions and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Paetsch would play parts of the next three seasons with the Sabres and Blue Jackets, totaling 42 points (7+35) over 167 career NHL games.

 

Following a brief return to Rochester in 2010-11 and a season abroad in Germany, Paetsch spent five seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he led the team to five straight playoff appearances and two Calder Cup championships while also serving as team captain during the 2016-17 campaign.

 

He rejoined the Amerks for his third stint in Rochester prior to the 2017-18 season, playing out the final 43 games of his career with 14 points (2+2) over his final three seasons.

 

In his AHL career, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound blueliner amassed 259 points (52+207) over 651 career AHL games with Rochester, Grand Rapids and Syracuse, while also adding 34 points (5+29) in 104 playoff contests. During the 2016-17 season with Grand Rapids, he became just the 18^th player in AHL history to play in 100 or more Calder Cup Playoff games.

 

He departed the organization ranked 25^th in scoring among all-time defensemen in franchise history, joining the likes of Amerks Hall of Famers Jim Wiemer and Randy Cunneyworth to begin and end their playing careers in Rochester.

 

Paetsch resides in Spencerport with his wife, Jaclyn, and their two children, Kellen (15) and Mira (13).

Scott Moser enters his first season as the Assistant coach with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

In his role, Moser a native of Tonawanda, N.Y, oversees the forwards and the powerplay units. 

Moser, 37, joined the organization after spending the last four seasons as an associate head coach at the University of Vermont (UVM), overseeing the forwards and power-play unit. During the 2025-26 season, he helped the Catamounts win seven games against ranked opponents while their eight victories over Hockey East were most since 2016-17.

On the international scene, Moser coached Slovakia in five World Junior (U20) Championships, primarily leading the forwards and power-play. At the 2023 World Juniors in Nova Scotia, the Slovaks finished second in the tournament with a 45.0% success rate on the man-advantage.

Between UVM and Slovakia, Moser coached over 30 NHL draft picks, including current NHL players and first-round picks Juraj Slafkovský, Šimon Nemec, Dalibor Dvorský, and Sam Honzek.

Prior to Vermont, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) managing the penalty kill unit, which finished second in the ECAC (86.8%) and 12^th nationally. Additionally, Moser, who served on the same staff as former Amerks head coach Chuck Weber, helped the Engineers to one of their best seasons as they went 17-15-2, including four straight victories to conclude the regular season in 2019-20. Their 13-8-1 ECAC Hockey record ranked fourth and earned a first-round postseason bye.

Moser’s coaching career began at Canisius College in Buffalo, where he served as an assistant coach for five seasons following his time as a player. As an assistant coach, the Golden Griffins captured their first regular season championship in 2016-17 while making three appearances in the Atlantic Hockey Final Four. Moser was part of a Canisius staff that recruited two Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalists and two league Players of the Year.

In four seasons (2008-12) as a player at Canisius, Moser, a two-sport athlete, amassed 23 goals and 36 assists for 59 points in 134 games. A two-time recipient of the team's Dr. David B. Dietz Award, he was a nominee for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2011 and the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award in 2012, when he served as the team’s captain. He was also a four-year starter in golf, earning MAAC All-Academic each season. 

Moser, who was inducted into the Kenmore West High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015, recorded 37 points (17+20) in 57 regular season games with the Mahoning Valley Phantoms (NAHL) during the 2007-08 campaign.

Moser holds degrees in management and marketing as well as a Master's in Sport Administration from Canisius College. He and his wife, Kelly, have two sons, Cal and Mick.

Neil Conway enters his first season as the Goaltending Coach with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

Conway joined the Amerks organization after spending the previous five seasons with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms as their director of goaltending. In those five seasons, the team posted an overall record of 185-93-19 record, which included back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time in team history. The Phantoms, who won the Clark Cup in 2023 and qualified for the playoffs in each of the last five years, had a goaltender finish inside the top 10 in wins, shutouts, and games played amongst all USHL netminders four times.

During the 2025-26 campaign, the Phantoms posted a USHL franchise-best 43 wins and 91 points while allowing 147 goals, the fewest amongst all USHL teams.

Conway had led the development of some of the top goaltending prospects in hockey, most recently being Tobias Trejbal, who was named the USHL’s Goaltender of the Year for the 2025-26 season after boasting a 30-9-3 record and three shutouts to go along with a 2.12 goals-against-average in 42 appearances. Trejbal was the first netminder taken in the 2026 NHL Draft (second round, 42^nd overall) by the Calgary Flames.

Conway was also instrumental in the development of current Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler, who posted a combined record of 38-13-5 with seven shutouts and a .923 save percentage in 58 career appearances with the Phantoms from 2021-2023. Under Conway’s leadership, Fowler backstopped Youngstown to its only championship in 2023 and went on to be named the Clark Cup Most Outstanding Player as well as earning All-USHL First Team and USHL Goaltender of the Year honors. He was also tabbed the Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year, presented annually by USA Hockey to the best American-born goaltender in junior hockey. Fowler’s success continued with him onto Boston College, where he was a two-time AHCA East First Team All-American, a two-time Hockey East Goaltending champion and the 2025 recipient of the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top Division I goaltender.

In addition to his tenure with the Phantoms, Conway has also spent the last seven years with the Gilmour Academy since 2019, serving as head goaltending coach for both the boys and girls hockey programs.

Conway has coached at the NCAA Division I level and professionally in Europe. He began his coaching career in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL), Austria's top professional league in 2016-17, before spending one season with the Cleveland Barons T1EHL in 2017-18 and moving onto Colgate University (ECAC) in 2018-19.

Outside of coaching, Conway is the owner and founder of Conway Goaltending, a premier training school offering camps, clinics and personalized instruction specifically for prospective goaltenders.

A native of Painesville, Ohio, Conway attended St. Mary’s University in Halifax, where he earned a degree in business and was a Canadian University Sport national champion. He played four seasons of professional hockey in North America as well as in Europe, including three in the ECHL with Cincinnati, Toledo and Elmira from 2013-2016, posting a 21-19-8 record in 51 appearances. He also had brief stints in the EIHL in England and the Series A league in Italy and represented the United States internationally at both the U17 Five Nations Tournament and U18 Gretzky-Hlinka Cup.

In 159 combined junior games between the OHL, OPJHL, and USHL, he posted a 65-58-18 record with three shutouts.

Anthony Gaede enters his third season as the video coach and team services with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

Gaede spent his first three seasons with the organization as a Video & Analytics Coordinator.

In his role, Gaede oversees all aspects of team travel and video operations.

Gaede, a St. John Fisher University graduate, currently resides in Rochester.

Tim Kennedy enters his six season and first as the Director of Player Development for the Buffalo Sabres organization in 2026-27.

In his role, he works closely with the organization’s top offensive prospects, both in Buffalo and Rochester, playing a key role in their overall development process.

A native of Buffalo, Kennedy embarked on a 10-year playing career with his hometown Sabres, making his NHL debut in 2008-09 before earning a full-time spot the following season. His tenure in Buffalo saw him produce 26 points (10+16) in 79 games while also adding three points (1+2) in six playoff contests.

 

After leaving Buffalo, Kennedy continued his NHL career with stops in Florida, San Jose and Phoenix, totaling 39 points (15+24) over 162 games.

 

A former sixth-round (181^st overall) pick of the Washington Capitals in 2005, Kennedy spent the majority of his career in the American Hockey League, including two separate stints with the Rochester Americans. Following a brief 14-game stay in 2010-11, Kennedy returned to the Amerks for the 2016-17 season. In all, Kennedy recorded 36 points (4+32) in 61 career games with the Amerks.

 

In 442 career AHL games with Portland, Rochester, Connecticut, Worcester, San Antonio, Hershey and Binghamton, Kennedy totaled 329 points on 79 goals and 250 assists. He was also named a 2015 AHL All-Star selection after leading all Hershey Bears skaters with 59 points (11+48) during the 2014-15 campaign.

 

Kennedy played three seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan State University (MSU), leading the Spartans to an NCAA National Championship in 2007. He led the team in scoring in two of his three seasons at MSU, culminating with back-to-back 43-point showings. As a sophomore, he was named to both the Frozen Four and NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament Teams before earning MSU Offensive Player of the Year honors and a selection to the All-CCHA Second Team the following season.

 

Internationally, Kennedy represented the United States at the 2010 IIHF World Championship, scoring one goal in six games.

 

He resides in Buffalo with his wife, Janelle, twin daughters, Harper and June (10), and son, Jackson (9).

Seamus Kotyk enters his 10th season as the Goaltending Development Coach for the Buffalo Sabres organization in 2026-27.

In his role, Kotyk is responsible for overseeing the development of all the organization’s goaltenders, including Buffalo’s minor league affiliates with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen.

Kotyk has been instrumental in the development of some of the Sabres’ top goaltending prospects, including 2020 Warrior Hockey/ECHL All-Star Classic Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who spent his first full season in Rochester in 2020-21. Luukkonen, Buffalo’s second-round pick in 2017, posted a 32-26-11 record in 69 appearances with Rochester from 2018-23 before making his long-awaited NHL debut with the Sabres.

The Espoo, Finland native recorded 36 saves to pick up his first NHL win in his NHL debut in Buffalo’s 6-4 win over Boston on April 23, 2021, becoming the first Sabres netminder to win his first career start since Mika Noronen on Oct. 5, 2000.

Kotyk joined the Sabres following four seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. He joined the organization in 2010 as a goaltending coach before being elevated to assistant coach the following year. He remained in that capacity until 2014 when he transitioned to the Sabres as a scout before assuming his current role.

A native of London, Ontario, Kotyk played four seasons in the OHL with the Ottawa 67’s, posting a 79-37-5 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He was a member of the 1999 Memorial Cup-winning squad and played for the 67’s in the 2001 Memorial Cup.

Originally a fifth-round pick (147^th overall) of the Boston Bruins in the 1999 NHL Draft, Kotyk enjoyed an eight-year playing career that included stops in the AHL, UHL and ECHL before playing his final three seasons overseas. He boasted a 58-66-10 career record with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage during his time in North America, most of which was spent in the AHL with the Cleveland Barons, Milwaukee Admirals and Houston Aeros.

Koytk split the 2004-05 season with the Admirals and the Rockford IceHogs of the UHL. While with the Admirals, Kotyk scored an empty-net goal against the San Antonio Rampage on April 17, 2005, becoming the eighth goaltender in AHL history to score a goal.

Kotyk and his partner, June, reside in London, Ontario, with their sons, Nayif (15) and Emmett (3), and dog, Stanley.

Evan Smith enters his third season as the Video and Analytics Coordinator with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

In his role, Smith assists with video operations as well as the analytics.

Smith spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant on the hockey operations staff for the (RIT) Rochester Institute of Technology men's hockey team. While with the Tigers earning the Atlantic Hockey Championship.

Smith, recently graduated from St. John Fisher University, where he studied sports management.

Michael Dhesse enters his eighth season as Head Athletic Trainer of the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

 

Dhesse joined the Amerks after spending five years as the assistant athletic trainer at the University of Alaska Anchorage (NCAA), where he was the primary athletic trainer for hockey with the Seawolves. He was also the Medical Coordinator for the Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon & Half Marathon, the largest marathon in the state of Alaska.

 

While in Alaska, he was active in the Alaska Athletic Trainers’ Association, serving as their public relations chairman and sitting on the Governmental Affairs Committee.

 

Dhesse, a Peru, Illinois native, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training at Northern Illinois University (NCAA). While with the Huskies, he was an athletic training student covering football for two and a half years, which included a Mid-American Conference Championship game and the Orange Bowl and Poinsettia Bowl. In addition to his athletic training duties, Dhesse conducted research for the creation and implementation of emergency action plans in the secondary school setting on a national level and was awarded first place at the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association meeting in 2014 and was presented at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Symposium that same year.

 

In his final semester of school, Dhesse interned with the University of Washington’s football team, and prior to leaving NIU, was awarded the American Kinesiology Award.

 

Dhesse is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers’ Society.

 

During the 2021-22 season, Dhesse earned a recalled to the Buffalo Sabres for a west coast trip.

 

He currently resides in Rochester with his wife, Danielle, two dogs, Raisin and Annabelle, as well as their other various rescued animals.

Nick Craven enters his 10th season as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

 

Prior to joining the Amerks, Craven was a member of the Olympic Strength and Conditioning department at the University of Georgia. Craven has also completed strength and conditioning internships with New Mexico State University and Colorado State University.  

 

After four years of collegiate hockey, Craven played professionally for two years with stops in Binghamton (AHL), Colorado (ECHL) and Fayetteville (SPHL).

 

Craven graduated from Wesleyan University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. He received his M.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Georgia in 2017 and holds certifications through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa).

 

He currently resides in Brighton with his wife, Jacque.

Olivia Sandford enters her second season as the Massage Therapist with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

Sandford graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2016 with a Bachelor's in Kinesiology then became a personal trainer.

Sandford also graduated Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage (Syracuse) in 2018.

 

She spent the next five and a half years at Hand in Health in Syracuse, but decided to move to Rochester and open own practice, The Myo Lab, in January 2025.

 

Sandford enjoys spending time with her dog, reading, or playing rugby, which she has been playing since 2013.

Amanda Edwards enters her fourth season as the Sport Psychologist with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

Edwards, a licensed counseling and clinical sports psychologist, received her Master of Science degree in Sports Psychology from Florida State University following a collegiate soccer career at the University of Minnesota. 

Edwards, a native of Buffalo, New York, recieved her Doctor of Philosophy from Texas Tech University.

She enjoys traveling, reading, or spending time with her dog.

Emily Galbraith enters her third season as the Team Dietitian with the Rochester Americans in 2026-27.

Galbraith is a registered sports dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics. 

Prior to joining the Amerks, Galbraith was the Director of Nutrition for the University at Buffalo football team, becoming the team’s first full time dietitian for three seasons and helped the team win the Camelia bowl in 2022. 

Galbraith received her bachelor’s degree in nutritional science at Penn State University and her Master’s in clinical nutrition at the University at Buffalo. While with the Bulls, she interned with the football team while they won both the Camelia Bowl and Bahamas Bowl in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Dr. Brandon Brownell, M.D., is a Western New York native who graduated from Ross University School of Medicine and earned his Master of Science degree at Canisius College, specializing in Health and Human Performance.

 

He completed his residency with the University at Buffalo in the Department of Family Medicine before specializing in sports medicine. With his background in family and sports medicine, Dr. Brownell has a passion to return patients of all ages back to their active lifestyles. He has a focus in ultrasound guided musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment.

 

He currently serves as the team physician for the UB Bulls Division I Men’s and Women’s basketball teams as well as the Rochester Americans, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

 

Dr. Brownell is a recipient of the Family Medicine Outstanding Service Award from the University at Buffalo and the Health and Human Performance Center Award from Canisius College. His professional affiliations include the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association.