The Buffalo Sabres have promoted Seth Appert to assistant coach and Amir Gulati to video coordinator, the team announced Monday.
The additions of Appert and Gulati round out the Sabres’ coaching staff under head coach Lindy Ruff, joining returning assistants Mike Bales, Matt Ellis, and Marty Wilford; video coach Justin White; and on-ice rehab and skating instructor Mike Ansell.
“One of my top priorities over the last few weeks has been finalizing the hires and roles of the coaching staff,” Ruff said. “After conversations with Seth, he reaffirmed what I already knew – he is ready for this opportunity. As we move into next season, I am thrilled with the staff we have assembled, and the work has already begun to prepare for training camp and the entirety of the season ahead.”
Appert, 49, has served as head coach of the Rochester Americans since the 2020-21 season, compiling a record of 123-94-22-10 and leading the team to three consecutive playoff berths in that span. He guided Rochester to its deepest playoff run since 2003-04 last season, when the Amerks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against the eventual Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.
Current Sabres players who developed under Appert’s leadership include forwards Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka, both of whom were named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2021-22; goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen; and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. Sabres’ first-round picks Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen led Rochester this season in goals and points, respectively.
“Seth should be immensely proud of the culture he has built in Rochester and the success that has come with it,” Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. “While his addition to the NHL coaching staff is a loss in Rochester, there is no doubt he has earned this position. Under his leadership, the Amerks have had tremendous results as a team, and he has also played a significant role in the development of a number of NHL players.
“We will begin a search for his replacement in Rochester immediately.”
Prior to joining the Amerks, Appert spent three seasons as a head coach for the U.S. National Team Development Program and 11 seasons as head coach for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He began his coaching career as an assistant for nine seasons with the University of Denver, where he won two national championships.
Internationally, Appert has won a gold medal as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2017 U-18 IIHF World Championship, a silver medal in the same role the following year, and a bronze medal as an assistant coach at the 2018 men’s World Championship.
So for me there’s 3 major takeaways from this news involving Amerks HC Seth Appert getting the callup to the big club.
This is gonna help provide Lindy with familiarity to this new group and potential callups – Appert has worked with most of these players at length over the past 3 seasons. When Lindy comes in looking to mold them in the 4 months before the season, Appert will provide invaluable knowledge of the player’s strengths and parts of the system which they can best work.
The Sabres are doing the ‘right’ things organizationally – One of the things that has plagued the Sabres the last 13 seasons is the concept that internally they have no clue what they’re doing. Whether it was the Peca fallout, Tim Murray running roughshod with bad coaches, Botterill being clueless, or GMKA being a ‘Pegula Puppet.’ In this instance, the Sabres are rewarding their AHL coach who has helped establish their farm system as one of the best?
Shoutout HBO, there just might be a succession plan – Many speculated before the Lindy hiring that an Appert ascent could be possible. Moving him up with Lindy on a multi-year deal does pave the way for an eventual succession/handoff. Could this franchise be moving from pain and suffering to stability and diligence?!?!?
