Rochester Americans 2025-26

[Porous Five Hole]

49 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This question is directed towards those who follow the Amerks: If a trade was made trading either Östlund or Helenius in a deal, which player would you rather keep?

I am higher on Östlund than most of the fanbase, and to me it is no contest. You keep Helenius. Noah’s goal scoring ceiling is higher, but Konsta’s ceiling is higher for everything else.  He was also a better player in the playoffs while being the youngest guy in the league.  I like them both, but hold Helenius all day.  

[PerreaultForever]

Brett Murray to me was a guy who should have been more than he was. All that size but he just didn't have the desire to use it. 

[dudacek]

Real shift at the top of the Amerks lineup:

Murray, Jobst, Clague and Rousek represent veteran stability and 4 of the teams top 6 scorers.

One of Bryson or Zach Jones should replace Clague on what seems a stable blueline.

But up front new faces Leschsyshyn is a checker and Geertsen a thug. Carson Meyer will probably get top 6 minutes, but it looks like more responsibility for Neuchev, Wahlberg and Helenius as the team pushed them to take a step in the top 6. Östlund should continue in the 1C role he grabbed after Christmas.

[pastajoe]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

Real shift at the top of the Amerks lineup:

Murray, Jobst, Clague and Rousek represent veteran stability and 4 of the teams top 6 scorers.

One of Bryson or Zach Jones should replace Clague on what seems a stable blueline.

But up front new faces Leschsyshyn is a checker and Geertsen a thug. Carson Meyer will probably get top 6 minutes, but it looks like more responsibility for Neuchev, Wahlberg and Helenius as the team pushed them to take a step in the top 6. Östlund should continue in the 1C role he grabbed after Christmas.

I think they’re thinking that they need to match up with tougher teams in the playoffs like Syracuse, Laval, and Hershey.

[PerreaultForever]

Red Savage signed for Rochester.

I remember his draft year I thought what a great hockey name. Sounds like a guy who would have played with Gordie Howe or someone back then. He hasn't lived up to that name, but fun to have him around all the same.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/latest-news/yzerman-red-wings-parts-ways-with-in-state-standout-signs-with-sabres-affiliate

[shrader]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Red Savage signed for Rochester.

I remember his draft year I thought what a great hockey name. Sounds like a guy who would have played with Gordie Howe or someone back then. He hasn't lived up to that name, but fun to have him around all the same.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/latest-news/yzerman-red-wings-parts-ways-with-in-state-standout-signs-with-sabres-affiliate

Yeah,  but then you see that his first name is Redmond and the name immediately loses its edge. 

[dudacek]

Longshot but a very interesting pickup.

He’s a UsNDtp grad and played in Michigan state last year so right in their wheelhouse.

Brian Savages son, and a D-first hardworking centre with history of wearing letters.

Shoulder injury ended his senior year and might have cost him an NHL contract offer.

Edited August 21 by dudacek

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Longshot but a very interesting pickup.

He’s a UsNDtp grad and played in Michigan state last year so right in their wheelhouse.

Brian Savages son, and a D-first hardworking centre with history of wearing letters.

Shoulder injury ended his senior year and might have cost him an NHL contract offer.

So in addition to Brian Savage's son, they'll have Curtis Leschyshyn's son, and Les Kuntar's son? 

Leschyshyn was a Nordique in 1994, otherwise it could've been a full 1994 Habs kids reunion.

[shrader]

16 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

So in addition to Brian Savage's son, they'll have Curtis Leschyshyn's son, and Les Kuntar's son? 

Leschyshyn was a Nordique in 1994, otherwise it could've been a full 1994 Habs kids reunion.

One of these things is not like the other. I know I had to Google it because those 6 NHl games for Kuntar don’t really stick out in my mind. 

[Amerks8796]

Geertsen 

Savage

Kuntar

Joshua

Looks to me like they agreed that the team was a soft and too easy to play against last year. They've re-built the bottom 6 into a much more physical group. Meyer and Leschyshyn are also more complete players and not as one dimensional as the guys they've had previously. 

Edited August 21 by Amerks8796

[dudacek]

I'm curious as to how they're going to line up at centre ice.

I think Osltund is inked as the 1C and Leschsyshyn and Dunne should get two of the other spots.

But will Kozak be there as a 3rd defensive centre? Will Savage be the 4C if Kozak makes the Sabres?

Or will Wahlberg or Helenius be moved back to the middle?

I'm hoping its Helenius and he and Östlund take turns leading the offence.

[LGR4GM]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I'm curious as to how they're going to line up at centre ice.

I think Osltund is inked as the 1C and Leschsyshyn and Dunne should get two of the other spots.

But will Kozak be there as a 3rd defensive centre? Will Savage be the 4C if Kozak makes the Sabres?

Or will Wahlberg or Helenius be moved back to the middle?

I'm hoping its Helenius and he and Östlund take turns leading the offence.

I thought they did play Helenius at center last year

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I thought they did play Helenius at center last year

They did at times, but he was a winger in the playoffs and I believe more often during the season 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, Amerks8796 said:

Geertsen 

Savage

Kuntar

Joshua

Looks to me like they agreed that the team was a soft and too easy to play against last year. They've re-built the bottom 6 into a much more physical group. Meyer and Leschyshyn are also more complete players and not as one dimensional as the guys they've had previously. 

That's my thought too. It's long overdue but encouraging all the same. You need to set that tone in your AHL team first imo if you want to build that forward into the NHL team. Most of these guys will never play in the NHL (or just limited action) but you want to have the work ethic and presence start there. You also want to win down there so that the guys coming up will bring that with them too. Also, most of these grittier AHL guys know they have to work hard for a shot and so they help build the culture. 

Edited August 21 by PerreaultForever

[SabresBillsFan]

Leschyshyn's son is nothing more than an AHL player.

[shrader]

40 minutes ago, SabresBillsFan said:

Leschyshyn's son is nothing more than an AHL player.

And this is an AHL thread. 

[PromoTheRobot]

https://www.amerks.com/news/detail/amerks-sign-savage-to-two-year-ahl-contract

Edited August 25 by PromoTheRobot

[Porous Five Hole]

Don Stevens is retiring at the end of this upcoming season.  40 years behind the mic in ROC!

https://www.amerks.com/news/detail/amerks-broadcaster-don-stevens-to-retire-following-2025-26-season?fbclid=IwdGRleANDluFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvrxzNFvoCkTEpp2jaDOmC4oLqKSedA_bnZSD8qKk8g_KsAFm_NqrWgCvpCl_aem_hqYNTiIbksKL6VJpuwsrxg

[shrader]

19 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

Don Stevens is retiring at the end of this upcoming season.  40 years behind the mic in ROC!

https://www.amerks.com/news/detail/amerks-broadcaster-don-stevens-to-retire-following-2025-26-season?fbclid=IwdGRleANDluFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvrxzNFvoCkTEpp2jaDOmC4oLqKSedA_bnZSD8qKk8g_KsAFm_NqrWgCvpCl_aem_hqYNTiIbksKL6VJpuwsrxg

That’s close to 100 years of hockey that the Sabres and amerks have lost in the last couple years. We’ll never see anything like that again. 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, shrader said:

That’s close to 100 years of hockey that the Sabres and amerks have lost in the last couple years. We’ll never see anything like that again. 

We will certainly never hear anything like that again, either. Play by play announcers today are geared for TV and TV only. And they can’t paint a picture for listeners to save their lives. I’m looking at you Dunleavy.