Rochester, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) – The Rochester Americans formally announced the hiring of new head coach Mike Leone during an introductory Zoom call on Monday.
Along with Leone during Monday's call was Amerks general manager Jason Karmanos. Karmanos says he received plenty of response to the opening at head coach after Seth Appert was promoted to Lindy Ruff's coaching staff with the Buffalo Sabres.
"I got over 100 calls, emails, texts from coaches from all over the world," said Karmanos.
"I talked at length with 25 of those individuals, and we got it down to a small group of five that joined myself, [Sabres general manager] Kevyn Adams and [Sabres assistant general manager] Mark Jakubowski, and we ended up choosing ‘Leo’ as our coach."
Karmanos says they were looking for somebody that had the ability to build relationships, and continue building on the winning culture in place in Rochester for the players to develop in.
Leone is a relatively young coach at the age of 36, but Karmanos says there were many factors that led to him getting the job.
"The type of person he is with communication skills, how he builds relationships, and he’s also played for so many people that have risen to the National Hockey League like Jon Cooper in junior (Texarkana Bandits), Jeff Blashill at Western [Michigan University], Derek Lalonde in Toledo [Walleye]. And in talking to him, you hear a person that listens very well and learns from the people he’s around," Karmanos noted.
"Also, his work at the [U.S. National Team Development] Program and his work the last couple of years at Green Bay [Gamblers] was important to us. He was the GM and coach there without prior experience, and did an outstanding job."
Leone just finished his second year coaching the Gamblers in the United States Hockey League, and spent time thanking the people from there that gave him an opportunity.
It’s no secret Leone will be coaching many of the youngest and talented prospects in the Sabres' pipeline.
"Relationships with players is really important now, especially all the young players. And I really care about the person first and the player second. That’s what I believe in, getting the trust level to be able to work with the player," said Leone during Monday's Zoom call.
In the years of playing for the aforementioned coaches during his career, Leone believes it’s made him better heading into his coaching career.
"I’ve been extremely lucky to play for the people I’ve played for. "They’re my mentors. They’re people I lean on," Leone said. "Just watching Jon Cooper, for example, his relationships with his players, how he approaches hard conversations. Then playing for Jeff Blashill in college and learning a lot as a player being around him. And Derek Lalonde was a great communicator, and you always knew where you stood."
Right after the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks, the Sabres will come home and have their Development Camp, where Leone will be on the ice running quite a few of the drills with his staff.
Both assistant coaches, Nathan Paetsch and Vinny Prospal, will be back on Leone’s staff for the 2024-25 season.
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