[Rochester Signings]

I honestly thought GMTM did a decent job filling the Amerks roster. Injuries and call ups killed them last year and anyone worth a damn left either didn't bother to show up or quit.

Murray signed a few good players on July 1st and ignored the Amerks and organizational depth otherwise. Here's a great example. Casey Nelson made the Sabres out of camp last season. Right now? He's the Amerks 5th defenseman.

[Rochester Signings]

Not exactly high profile AHL signings

They had those on July 1st though. The veteran rule is a pain. They can't really make anymore high profile signings as they're at the veteran limit right now.

[Chris Taylor Named Amerks Coach]

Another WilkesBarre connection. Knows what Bots wants and how he wants the players to be developed.

 

On paper looks like a good move. We'll see.

This isn't a Penguins connection, it's a Rochester connection.

[Taylor Fedun Signed to Extension]

Botterill has spoken repeatedly about making Rochester a competitive team again. Fedun is a part of that. If he's seeing significant time in Buffalo, there will be several injuries leading to it.

[Qualifying offers given (and not given)...]

Not when he got up with the big club last year... Speed nothing great, but showed a mean streak..

I think I'll take his sample size in Rochester versus what he briefly showed in Buffalo.

[Qualifying offers given (and not given)...]

Brady Austin is slow and, despite his size, plays a soft and timid game.

[Taylor Fedun Signed to Extension]

Depth defender is a guy on the farm available for spot duty as an injury call-up, etc...

 

At this point Fedun is in the mix to earn a fulltime spot on the big club out of camp.

Fedun is definitely starting with the Amerks. 8th or 9th D on the depth chart likely. Falk ahead of him and I expect the Sabres to bring in at least 1 more NHL defenseman.

[Rochester Americans 2016-2017]

As a long time Amerks STH this is by far the most optimistic I've been in a long time. Maybe since 2009. I love what Botterill is saying and he has a track record of actually backing it up.