Rochester Americans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rochester Americans |
|
|---|---|
| City | Rochester, New York |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | North |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Home arena | Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial (Capacity: 10,662) KeyBank Center (Capacity: 19,070) (select games) |
| Colors | Red, white, blue |
| Owner(s) | Terry Pegula |
| General manager | Jason Karmanos |
| Head coach | Michael Leone |
| Captain | Mason Jobst |
| Media | 95.7 The Fan MSG Western New York Democrat and Chronicle AHL.TV (Internet) |
| Affiliates | Buffalo Sabres (NHL) Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1956–present | Rochester Americans |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 6: (1964–65, 1967–68, 1973–74, 1982–83, 1990–91, 2004–05) |
| Division Championships | 15: (1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2022–23) |
| Conference Championships | 3: (1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–00) |
| Calder Cups | 6: (1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1995–96) |
The Rochester Americans, often called the Amerks, are a professional ice hockey team. They play in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team is based in Rochester, New York, and plays its home games at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Amerks are one of the oldest teams in the AHL. They have been playing in Rochester for a very long time, longer than almost any other team in the league!
Rochester got its hockey team in June 1956. This happened because the Pittsburgh Hornets team had to stop playing. Their arena was being torn down. With the Hornets needing a new place, there was room for a team in Rochester.
The Americans' team colors are red, white, and blue. Their logo is a badge with "Americans" written in a cool, flowing style. They have won the Calder Cup six times. This is the championship trophy for the AHL. They have also made it to the finals ten other times.
Contents
History of the Amerks Hockey Team
Hockey in Rochester Before the Amerks
Hockey was very popular in Rochester, New York, even back in the 1920s. The University of Rochester had a hockey team as early as 1906. Even then, East High School had a strong hockey program. Professional hockey first came to Rochester in 1935. This was with the Rochester Cardinals, who played in the International Hockey League. The Cardinals only played for one season. They had a record of 15 wins, 29 losses, and 3 ties. They also had many money problems.
In the early 1950s, a new arena was being built in Rochester. Montreal Canadiens manager Frank Selke promised that an American Hockey League team would come to Rochester. He mentioned 1956 as a possible year. People in Rochester really loved hockey. On November 21, 1955, 7,092 fans came to watch a game. It was between the AHL Buffalo Bisons and the NHL Montreal Canadiens. The game was a 5–5 tie and sold out five days before it happened. In 1956, the 60-year-old Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburgh was set to be torn down. This left the Pittsburgh Hornets without an arena. They had to stop playing, which opened a spot in the AHL for a Rochester team.
Before the AHL team, a local team called the Arpeako Packers played. They played in front of thousands of fans at the new Rochester War Memorial. Two people, Sam Toth and Ed House, worked to bring professional hockey to Rochester. They wanted an AHL team.
The AHL finally gave a team to a group that included Sam Toth and Ed House. This happened in June. They had to raise $150,000 in less than two weeks. When they couldn't raise enough money, a new group got the team. This group was supported by Frank Selke of the Canadiens and Conn Smythe of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs and Canadiens each owned 27.5% of the team. The rest was sold to people in Rochester. The team was named the "Americans."
The Amerks' First Years (1956–1967)
When the Americans joined the league for the 1956–57 season, they worked with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens mostly ran the team. Under coach Billy Reay, the team finished third in the AHL. They played against the defending champions, the Providence Reds, in the first round of the playoffs. With Bobby Perreault as their goalie, the Americans beat Providence in five games. But then, Rochester lost in the finals to the Cleveland Barons, who won the Calder Cup.
The Americans made it to the playoffs again in 1959. They lost to the Buffalo Bisons in five games. The 1959 Americans had a famous line of players called "WHAM." This included center Rudy Migay, left wing Gary Aldcorn, and right wing Billy Hicke. Migay and Hicke were both named co-MVPs for the AHL that season. Hicke was also chosen as the league's rookie of the year.
In the summer of 1959, the Maple Leafs bought out the Canadiens' share of the team. This gave them more control. They bought most of the rest of the team by November 1964.
In the 1959–60 season, the Americans made history. They were the first AHL team to win a playoff series after being down three games to none. This comeback against the Cleveland Barons included veteran Migay, Pat Hannigan, and goalie Ed Chadwick. A crowd of 7,762 fans watched them win Game 7 by a score of 4–1. Rochester then lost the Calder Cup finals in five games to the Springfield Indians.
After the 1960–61 season, the Americans did not make the playoffs. The Montreal Canadiens then started working with the Quebec Aces. They sent Rochester players Guy Rousseau and Claude Labrosse to Quebec. As the only team working with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Americans made the playoffs the next two seasons. However, they did not win the Calder Cup.
Starting in 1963–64, former Americans player Joe Crozier became the team's coach and general manager. Under Crozier, the Americans won the Calder Cup in 1965, 1966, and 1968. They were also in the finals in 1967. They are the only team in AHL history to play in the Calder Cup finals for four years in a row.
In the 1965–66 season, the Americans played their last 10 regular season home games and all playoff home games in other cities. This was because a bowling tournament was using the War Memorial arena. Their home games were played in Toronto, about 180 miles from Rochester. One playoff game was in Buffalo. On May 8, 1966, the Americans tied their series against the Cleveland Barons with a 3–1 win. Rochester then won the next two games and their second Calder Cup in a row.
Many famous players played for the Amerks during this time. These included Bronco Horvath, Gerry Cheevers, Bobby Perreault, Al Arbour, Darryl Sly, Norm "Red" Armstrong, Duane Rupp, Wally Boyer, Dick Gamble, Stan Smrke, Jim Pappin, Don Cherry, Gerry Ehman, Larry Hillman, and Mike Walton. Alex Faulkner, the first NHL player from Newfoundland and Labrador, also played for the Amerks.
The Expansion Era (1967–1970s)
The National Hockey League grew from six to twelve teams for the 1967–68 NHL season. Because of this, the Americans lost several players. Arbour and Boyer were picked by the new NHL teams. Ehman was traded, and Horvath was loaned to another team. Rupp and Walton moved up to play for the Maple Leafs. Smrke retired.
The Americans had a tough start to the 1967–68 AHL season. Before Christmas, the team was in last place. Coach Crozier made a trade with the Minnesota North Stars. The Americans got Ted Taylor, Len Lunde, George "Duke" Harris, Murray Hall, Don Johns, Carl Wetzel, and the rights to Horvath. Horvath had played for the Amerks four times since 1956–57. The Americans then played much better, winning many games. They finished with the best record in the league. They beat the Hershey Bears and the Quebec Aces to win the Calder Cup. The Amerks won the final game 4–2 in front of 11,711 fans.
In July 1966, the Maple Leaf Gardens Limited company sold the team. It was sold to a group that included their general manager Punch Imlach. Two years later, the team was sold to the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League. Most of the Rochester players moved to Vancouver. The Canucks won championships in 1968–69 and 1969–70. Meanwhile, the Amerks finished in last place each year. When Vancouver became an NHL team, they used the Amerks as their farm team.
Rochester finished last in the AHL for four years in a row. Fan support was dropping. The Vancouver NHL team was ready to sell or close the Rochester club. But the Americans were saved in the summer of 1972. A group of eight Rochester businessmen bought the team from Vancouver. This group included Sam Toth and Joe Fox. They named Amerks player Don Cherry as coach and general manager. For the next two seasons, the Amerks played without being linked to any NHL team. They made the playoffs in 1972–73 but lost in the first round. The next season, 1973–74, the Amerks were regular season champions. However, they lost in the first round again.
The Boston Bruins hired Cherry as their coach in 1974–75. They also became the Americans' main team that same year. During the five seasons with the Bruins, the Amerks made the playoffs for the first four years. They lost in the Calder Cup finals in 1977.
Before the 1979–80 season, the Knox family bought the Americans. They also owned the Buffalo Sabres (NHL). So, the Americans became the Sabres' AHL team. After the Knox brothers passed away, the Americans and Sabres were separated. The Sabres went to John Rigas, and the Americans were sold to Steve Donner. Even with the sale, the Buffalo-Rochester partnership was the longest one between an NHL and AHL team. It lasted until the 2007–08 season. It was started again for the 2011–12 season. The cities of Buffalo and Rochester are close, only an hour's drive apart. This makes it easy for the Sabres to move players between the two teams.
During their first time working with the Sabres, the Americans won three Calder Cup championships. They were also runners-up six other times. They only missed the playoffs five times in 28 years.
The 1980s and 1990s
The Americans won their first Calder Cup during the "Sabres era" in 1983. They were coached by Mike Keenan. They swept Maine, winning 4–0.
In the 1986–87 season, the team, coached by John Van Boxmeer, won their division. They won the last game of the season against the Binghamton Whalers. The Americans were one point behind the Whalers and playing in Binghamton. Goalie Darcy Wakaluk helped the team tie the game. The game then went to a "shoot-out." Coach Van Boxmeer made a famous move. He took Wakaluk out and put in the usual starting goalie, Darren Puppa. Puppa had been injured but stopped every shot. Defenseman Jack Brownschidle scored the winning goal. Rochester won the division because they had a better record against Binghamton.
The first round of playoffs was against the Hershey Bears. The first two games were played in Buffalo. This was because the Rochester War Memorial was booked for a circus.
A big fight happened during warmups of the second game. There were no officials on the ice at the time. Players from both teams were suspended. The Americans won the game in overtime. The Americans went on to win the series, 4–1.
The Americans played the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the finals. After five games, they were down three games to two. Led by NHL veteran Don Lever, the Amerks came back to win Game 6, 7–4. They won the championship in Sherbrooke.
Many players from that team moved to the NHL the next season. The Amerks had a tough time but made it to the finals in 1990 and 1991. They lost both times to the Springfield Indians. They lost again in the finals to the Cape Breton Oilers in 1993.
The Americans had a very slow start in the 1995–96 season. But they came together during the season. Goalie Steve Shields played much better. The team easily won the first three rounds of the playoffs. They then won a tough battle against the Portland Pirates. This was their sixth, and most recent, Calder Cup win.
The 2000s Era
In 2000, coach Brian McCutcheon moved up to be an assistant coach for the Sabres. Former Amerks player Randy Cunneyworth became the new coach of the Amerks.
On November 12, 2003, the Sabres and the New Jersey Devils played the first-ever NHL regular-season game in Rochester.
In the 2003–04 season, the Americans lost in five games to the Milwaukee Admirals. The Admirals went on to win the Calder Cup.
The Americans started working with two NHL teams in 2005. They signed a deal with the Florida Panthers. Both the Panthers and Sabres sent players to the Americans. The Sabres still hired the coaching staff.
In 2007, the Sabres said that season would be their last working with the Americans. This was due to money problems with the AHL team. There were also issues between the team owners, the City of Rochester, and the arena management. The dual affiliation with the Panthers was also difficult.
In 2008, the 29-year partnership officially ended. Buffalo chose the Portland Pirates as their new AHL team. This separation lasted until 2011. Then, Terrence Pegula bought the Sabres and later the Amerks. This brought the two teams back together.
On May 6, 2008, the American Hockey League approved the sale of the Americans. Canadian businessman Curt Styres and his group bought the team. The sale also included the Rochester Knighthawks lacrosse team.
On May 13, 2009, Lewis Staats, the president of the Americans, announced that Jody Gage would not return as general manager. Gage had been the general manager for 13 seasons. He now works as the team's director of strategic planning.
The 2010s Era
The Americans won their 2,000th game on February 21, 2010. It was a shootout win against the Portland Pirates. Derek Whitmore was the last shooter for Portland. Goaltender Alexander Salak made the save to win the game.
Head coach Benoit Groulx left the team on May 31. This was after a disagreement with vice-president Ted Nolan.
On May 17, 2011, it was announced that Terry Pegula wanted to buy the Americans. Pegula had recently bought the Buffalo Sabres. He wanted the two clubs to work together again. The purchase had some challenges. First, Pegula needed permission from the Portland Pirates. They had a deal with the Sabres until 2014. Second, the Rochester Knighthawks lacrosse team was separated and kept by Styres. This was because Pegula owned a rival lacrosse team. After these things were sorted out, the deal was made on June 24, 2011. Pegula bought the Americans for US$5 million.
For the 2013–14 season, the Americans played in an outdoor game. It was part of the AHL Outdoor Classic at Frontier Field. They played against the Lake Erie Monsters. After this game, they went to play in the 2013 Spengler Cup. This was the first time in 17 years an AHL team played in this tournament.
On July 28, 2015, Randy Cunneyworth was hired again as the Americans' head coach. He had coached the team from 2000 to 2008. Cunneyworth was moved to a different role the next season. Dan Lambert became the new head coach. Lambert was fired at the end of the 2016–17 season.
For the 2017 season, the new Sabres general manager, Jason Botterill, decided something new. The Americans would have their own general manager. This was like how the Pittsburgh Penguins ran their AHL team. In June 2017, Randy Sexton became the Americans' general manager. Former Americans' player Chris Taylor was named head coach.
The 2020s Era
Sexton was fired on June 16, 2020, along with Botterill. Taylor and the coaching staff were also fired later. Seth Appert was then hired as coach. Jason Karmanos became general manager as part of his Sabres assistant general manager duties.
During the 2021–22 season, the Americans finished 5th in their division. This was the last playoff spot. They got it on the final day of the season. In the first round of playoffs, they played the Belleville Senators. The Americans won two of the three games, both in overtime. Both scores were 4–3 wins. This was their first playoff series win in 17 years. In the next round, they surprised everyone by beating the Utica Comets. They then played the Laval Rocket in the division finals. They lost in three games, including a triple-overtime loss in the last game.
The Americans made the playoffs again after the 2022–23 season. They finished third in their division. In the division semifinals, they played against their rival, Syracuse. They were down 2–0 in the series but won three games in a row to move on. The Americans then played the Toronto Marlies in the division finals. They swept them, winning all games. This sent them to their first conference finals since the 2004 Calder Cup playoffs.
Season-by-Season Results
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | PCT | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing | Year | Prelims | 1st Round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals |
| 1956–57 | 64 | 34 | 25 | 5 | — | — | 73 | .570 | 224 | 199 | 3rd, AHL | 1957 | — | W, 4–1, PRO | L, 1–4, CLE | ||
| 1957–58 | 70 | 29 | 35 | 6 | — | — | 64 | .457 | 205 | 242 | 5th, AHL | 1958 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1958–59 | 70 | 34 | 31 | 5 | — | — | 73 | .521 | 242 | 209 | 3rd, AHL | 1959 | — | L, 1–4, BUF | — | ||
| 1959–60 | 72 | 40 | 27 | 5 | — | — | 85 | .590 | 285 | 211 | 2nd, AHL | 1960 | — | W, 4–3, CLE | L, 1–4, SPR | ||
| 1960–61 | 72 | 32 | 36 | 4 | — | — | 68 | .472 | 261 | 244 | 5th, AHL | 1961 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1961–62 | 70 | 33 | 31 | 6 | — | — | 72 | .514 | 234 | 240 | 3rd, West | 1962 | — | L, 0–2, BUF | — | — | |
| 1962–63 | 72 | 24 | 39 | 9 | — | — | 57 | .396 | 241 | 270 | 3rd, West | 1963 | — | L, 0–2, CLE | — | — | |
| 1963–64 | 72 | 40 | 30 | 2 | — | — | 82 | .569 | 256 | 223 | 2nd, West | 1964 | — | L, 0–2, CLE | — | — | |
| 1964–65 | 72 | 48 | 21 | 3 | — | — | 99 | .688 | 310 | 199 | 1st, West | 1965 | — | W, 4–1, QUE | BYE | W, 4–1, HER | |
| 1965–66 | 72 | 46 | 21 | 5 | — | — | 97 | .674 | 288 | 221 | 1st, West | 1966 | — | W, 4–2, QUE | BYE | W, 4–2, CLE | |
| 1966–67 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 9 | — | — | 85 | .590 | 300 | 223 | 2nd, West | 1967 | — | W, 3–2, CLE | W, 3–1, BAL | L, 0–4, PIT | |
| 1967–68 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 9 | — | — | 85 | .590 | 273 | 233 | 1st, West | 1968 | — | W, 4–1, HER | BYE | W, 4–2, QUE | |
| 1968–69 | 74 | 25 | 38 | 11 | — | — | 61 | .412 | 237 | 295 | 4th, West | 1969 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1969–70 | 72 | 18 | 38 | 16 | — | — | 52 | .361 | 253 | 315 | 5th, West | 1970 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1970–71 | 72 | 25 | 36 | 11 | — | — | 61 | .424 | 222 | 248 | 4th, West | 1971 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1971–72 | 76 | 28 | 38 | 10 | — | — | 66 | .434 | 242 | 311 | 5th, East | 1972 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1972–73 | 76 | 33 | 31 | 12 | — | — | 78 | .513 | 239 | 276 | 3rd, East | 1973 | — | L, 2–4, BOS | — | — | |
| 1973–74 | 76 | 42 | 21 | 13 | — | — | 97 | .638 | 296 | 248 | 1st, North | 1974 | — | L, 2–4, NH | — | — | |
| 1974–75 | 76 | 42 | 25 | 9 | — | — | 93 | .612 | 317 | 243 | 2nd, North | 1975 | — | W, 4–2, NSV | L, 1–4, SPR | — | |
| 1975–76 | 76 | 42 | 25 | 9 | — | — | 93 | .612 | 304 | 243 | 2nd, North | 1976 | — | W, 3–0, PRO | L, 0–4, NSV | — | |
| 1976–77 | 80 | 42 | 33 | 5 | — | — | 89 | .556 | 320 | 273 | 3rd, AHL | 1977 | — | W, 4–2, NH | L, 2–4, NSV | ||
| 1977–78 | 81 | 43 | 31 | 7 | — | — | 93 | .574 | 332 | 296 | 1st, South | 1978 | — | BYE | L, 2–4, NH | — | |
| 1978–79 | 80 | 26 | 42 | 12 | — | — | 64 | .400 | 289 | 349 | 4th, South | 1979 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1979–80 | 80 | 28 | 42 | 10 | — | — | 66 | .413 | 260 | 327 | 4th, South | 1980 | — | L, 0–4, NH | — | — | |
| 1980–81 | 80 | 30 | 42 | 8 | — | — | 68 | .425 | 295 | 316 | 5th, South | 1981 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1981–82 | 80 | 40 | 31 | 9 | — | — | 89 | .556 | 325 | 286 | 2nd, South | 1982 | — | W, 3–1, NH | L, 1–4, BNG | — | |
| 1982–83 | 80 | 46 | 25 | 9 | — | — | 101 | .631 | 389 | 325 | 1st, South | 1983 | — | W, 4–1, BNG | W, 4–3, NH | W, 4–0, MAI | |
| 1983–84 | 80 | 46 | 32 | 2 | — | — | 94 | .588 | 363 | 300 | 2nd, South | 1984 | — | W, 4–3, SCS | W, 4–2, BAL | L, 1–4, MAI | |
| 1984–85 | 80 | 40 | 27 | 13 | — | — | 93 | .581 | 333 | 301 | 3rd, South | 1985 | — | L, 1–4, BAL | — | — | |
| 1985–86 | 80 | 34 | 39 | 7 | — | — | 75 | .469 | 320 | 337 | 6th, South | 1986 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1986–87 | 80 | 47 | 26 | — | — | 7 | 101 | .631 | 315 | 263 | 1st, South | 1987 | — | W, 4–1, HER | W, 4–2, BNG | W, 4–3, SHE | |
| 1987–88 | 80 | 46 | 26 | 7 | 1 | — | 100 | .625 | 328 | 272 | 2nd, South | 1988 | — | L, 3–4, ADK | — | — | |
| 1988–89 | 80 | 38 | 37 | 5 | — | — | 81 | .506 | 305 | 302 | 5th, South | 1989 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 1989–90 | 80 | 43 | 28 | 9 | — | — | 95 | .594 | 337 | 286 | 1st, South | 1990 | — | W, 4–1, UTI | W, 4–2, BAL | L, 2–4, SPR | |
| 1990–91 | 80 | 45 | 26 | 9 | — | — | 99 | .619 | 326 | 253 | 1st, South | 1991 | — | BYE | W, 4–1, HER | W, 4–0, BNG | L, 2–4, SPR |
| 1991–92 | 80 | 37 | 31 | 12 | — | — | 86 | .538 | 292 | 248 | 2nd, South | 1992 | — | W, 4–2, HER | W, 4–3, BNG | L, 1–2, ADK | — |
| 1992–93 | 80 | 40 | 33 | 7 | — | — | 87 | .544 | 348 | 332 | 2nd, South | 1993 | — | W, 4–1, UTI | W, 4–3, BNG | BYE | L, 1–4, CBO |
| 1993–94 | 80 | 31 | 34 | 15 | — | — | 77 | .481 | 277 | 300 | 4th, South | 1994 | — | L, 0–4, HER | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | 80 | 35 | 38 | 7 | — | — | 77 | .481 | 333 | 304 | 4th, South | 1995 | — | L, 1–4, BNG | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | 80 | 37 | 34 | 5 | 4 | — | 83 | .519 | 294 | 297 | 3rd, Central | 1996 | — | W, 3–0, ADK | W, 4–0, CRN | W, 4–1, SYR | W, 4–3, POR |
| 1996–97 | 80 | 40 | 30 | 9 | 1 | — | 90 | .563 | 298 | 257 | 1st, Empire State | 1997 | — | W, 3–0, SYR | L, 3–4, ALB | — | — |
| 1997–98 | 80 | 30 | 38 | 12 | 0 | — | 72 | .450 | 238 | 260 | 5th, Empire State | 1998 | — | L, 1–3, PHI | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | 80 | 52 | 21 | 6 | 1 | — | 111 | .694 | 287 | 176 | 1st, Empire State | 1999 | — | W, 3–0, ADK | W, 4–2, HAM | W, 4–2, PHI | L, 1–4, PRO |
| 1999–00 | 80 | 46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | — | 104 | .650 | 247 | 201 | 1st, Empire State | 2000 | — | W, 3–2, ALB | W, 4–2, HAM | W, 4–0, HER | L, 2–4, HRT |
| 2000–01 | 80 | 46 | 22 | 9 | 3 | — | 104 | .650 | 224 | 192 | 1st, Mid-Atlantic | 2001 | — | L, 1–3, PHI | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | 80 | 32 | 30 | 15 | 3 | — | 82 | .513 | 206 | 211 | 2nd, Central | 2002 | L, 0–2, PHI | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | 80 | 31 | 30 | 14 | 5 | — | 81 | .506 | 219 | 221 | 2nd, Central | 2003 | L, 1–2, MIL | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | 80 | 37 | 28 | 10 | 5 | — | 89 | .556 | 207 | 188 | 3rd, North | 2004 | BYE | W, 4–3, SYR | W, 4–0, HAM | L, 1–4, MIL | — |
| 2004–05 | 80 | 51 | 19 | — | 4 | 6 | 112 | .700 | 243 | 208 | 1st, North | 2005 | — | W, 4–0, HAM | L, 1–4, MTB | — | — |
| 2005–06 | 80 | 37 | 39 | — | 2 | 2 | 78 | .488 | 261 | 270 | 5th, North | 2006 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2006–07 | 80 | 48 | 30 | — | 1 | 1 | 98 | .613 | 269 | 250 | 2nd, North | 2007 | — | L, 2–4, HAM | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | 80 | 24 | 46 | — | 6 | 4 | 58 | .363 | 197 | 291 | 7th, North | 2008 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2008–09 | 80 | 29 | 43 | — | 0 | 8 | 66 | .413 | 184 | 259 | 7th, North | 2009 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2009–10 | 80 | 44 | 33 | — | 2 | 1 | 91 | .569 | 253 | 247 | 2nd, North | 2010 | — | L, 3–4, ABB | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | 80 | 31 | 39 | — | 5 | 5 | 72 | .450 | 218 | 266 | 7th, North | 2011 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2011–12 | 76 | 36 | 26 | — | 10 | 4 | 86 | .566 | 224 | 211 | 2nd, North | 2012 | — | L, 0–3, TOR | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | 76 | 43 | 29 | — | 3 | 1 | 90 | .592 | 234 | 209 | 2nd, North | 2013 | — | L, 0–3, TOR | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | 76 | 37 | 28 | — | 6 | 5 | 85 | .559 | 216 | 217 | 2nd, North | 2014 | — | L, 2–3, CHI | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | 76 | 29 | 41 | — | 5 | 1 | 64 | .421 | 209 | 251 | 6th, North | 2015 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2015–16 | 76 | 34 | 38 | — | 3 | 1 | 72 | .474 | 199 | 249 | 6th, North | 2016 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2016–17 | 76 | 32 | 41 | — | 0 | 3 | 67 | .441 | 205 | 240 | 6th, North | 2017 | — | Did not qualify | |||
| 2017–18 | 76 | 37 | 22 | — | 11 | 6 | 91 | .599 | 238 | 223 | 3rd, North | 2018 | — | L, 0–3, SYR | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | 76 | 46 | 23 | — | 5 | 2 | 99 | .651 | 254 | 218 | 2nd, North | 2019 | — | L, 0–3, TOR | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | 62 | 33 | 20 | — | 4 | 5 | 75 | .605 | 181 | 173 | 2nd, North | 2020 | — | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2020–21 | 29 | 11 | 15 | — | 2 | 1 | 25 | .431 | 89 | 116 | 6th, North | 2021 | — | No playoffs were held | |||
| 2021–22 | 76 | 37 | 29 | — | 7 | 3 | 84 | .553 | 254 | 270 | 5th, North | 2022 | W, 2–0, BEL | W, 3–2, UTI | L, 0–3, LAV | — | — |
| 2022–23 | 72 | 36 | 27 | — | 6 | 3 | 81 | .563 | 236 | 233 | 3rd, North | 2023 | BYE | W, 3–2, SYR | W, 3–0, TOR | L, 2–4, HER | — |
| 2023–24 | 72 | 39 | 23 | — | 7 | 3 | 88 | .611 | 234 | 239 | 2nd, North | 2024 | BYE | L, 2–3, SYR | — | — | — |
Team Affiliations Over the Years
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Players and Team Staff
Current Roster
Updated November 20, 2024.
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 |  |
Josh Dunne (A) | C | L | 26 | 2024 | O'Fallon, Missouri | Sabres |
| 56 |  |
Kale Clague | D | L | 27 | 2022 | Regina, Saskatchewan | Sabres |
| 12 | |
Riley Fiddler-Schultz | C | L | 23 | 2023 | Edmonton, Alberta | Americans |
| 91 |  |
Konsta Helenius | C | R | 19 | 2024 | Ylöjärvi, Finland | Sabres |
| 29 | |
Michael Houser | G | L | 32 | 2018 | Youngstown, Ohio | Americans |
| 26 | |
Mason Jobst (C) | C | L | 31 | 2022 | Speedway, Indiana | Sabres |
| 23 | |
Ryan Johnson | D | L | 23 | 2023 | Irvine, California | Sabres |
| 52 |  |
Aleksandr Kisakov | LW | L | 22 | 2022 | Solikamsk, Russia | Sabres |
| 83 | |
Vsevolod Komarov | D | R | 21 | 2024 | Chelyabinsk, Russia | Sabres |
| 44 | |
Tyson Kozak | C | L | 22 | 2022 | Souris, Manitoba | Sabres |
| 27 | |
Devon Levi | G | L | 23 | 2023 | Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec | Sabres |
| 22 | |
Zach Metsa (A) | D | R | 26 | 2023 | Delafield, Wisconsin | Americans |
| 81 | |
Brett Murray (A) | LW | L | 26 | 2019 | Bolton, Ontario | Sabres |
| 79 | |
Viktor Neuchev | LW | L | 21 | 2023 | Chelyabinsk, Russia | Sabres |
| 74 | |
Nikita Novikov | D | L | 21 | 2023 | Moscow, Russia | Sabres |
| 86 |  |
Noah Ostlund | C | L | 21 | 2024 | Nykvarn, Sweden | Americans |
| 3 | |
Colton Poolman | D | L | 29 | 2024 | East Grand Forks, Minnesota | Sabres |
| 7 | |
Ethan Prow (A) | D | R | 32 | 2021 | Sauk Rapids, Minnesota | Americans |
| 5 | |
Jack Rathbone | D | L | 26 | 2024 | West Roxbury, Massachusetts | Sabres |
| 11 |  |
Lukas Rousek | LW | L | 26 | 2022 | Ostrov nad Ohri, Czech Republic | Sabres |
| 32 | |
Felix Sandstrom | G | L | 28 | 2024 | Gävle, Sweden | Sabres |
| 19 | |
Graham Slaggert | C | L | 26 | 2023 | South Bend, Indiana | Americans |
| 71 | |
Ty Tullio | RW | R | 23 | 2024 | Detroit, Michigan | Sabres |
| 92 | |
Anton Wahlberg | C | L | 20 | 2024 | Malmö, Sweden | Americans |
| 45 | |
Brendan Warren | LW | L | 28 | 2021 | Carleton, Michigan | Americans |
Retired Jersey Numbers
The Rochester Americans have retired only two jersey numbers to honor special players.
- Number six was retired for Norm "Red" Armstrong. He passed away in 1974 at age 35.
- Number nine was retired for Dick Gamble and Jody Gage. Gage, known as "Mr. Amerk," broke Gamble's team scoring records. Gage then worked as the Americans' general manager for 12 years.
Team Captains Through the Years
- Don Cherry, 1971–1972
- Chris Taylor, 2005–06
- Brandon Smith, 2006–07
- Drew Larman, 2007–08
- Rory Fitzpatrick, 2008–2010
- Colin Stuart, 2011–12
- Kevin Porter, 2012–13, 2017–2020
- Matt Ellis, 2013–2014
- Drew Bagnall, 2013-2015
- Cal O'Reilly, 2015–2017
- Steven Fogarty, 2020-2021
- Michael Mersch, 2021–2024
- Mason Jobst, 2024–present
Head Coaches Through the Years
Asterisk denotes number of Calder Cups won
- Billy Reay, 1956–57
- Roly McLenahan, 1957–58
- Bucko MacDonald, 1958
- Sam Pollock, 1959
- Steve Kraftcheck, 1958–61
- Jack Riley, 1961
- Johnny Crawford, 1961–62
- Rudy Migay, 1962–63
- Joe Crozier, 1963–68***, 1983–84
- Dick Gamble, 1968–71
- Peanuts O'Flaherty, 1971
- Doug Adam, 1972
- Don Cherry, 1972–74
- Dick Mattiussi, 1974–76
- Duane Rupp, 1976–78
- Gary Darling, 1978
- Ron Garwasiuk, 1978
- Pat Kelly, 1978–79
- Billy Inglis, 1979–80
- Mike Keenan, 1980–83*
- Jim Schoenfeld, 1984
- John Van Boxmeer, 1984–90*, 1992–95
- Don Lever, 1990–92
- John Tortorella, 1995–97*
- Brian McCutcheon, 1997–2000
- Randy Cunneyworth, 2000–08, 2015–2016
- Benoit Groulx, 2008–10
- Chuck Weber, 2010–11
- Ron Rolston, 2011–13
- Chadd Cassidy, 2013–2015
- Dan Lambert, 2016–2017
- Chris Taylor, 2017–2020
- Gord Dineen, 2019
- Seth Appert, 2020–2024
- Michael Leone, 2024–present
Team Records and Top Players
Single Season Records
- Goals: Paul Gardner, 61 goals (1985–86)
- Assists: Geordie Robertson, 73 assists (1982–83)
- Points: Geordie Robertson, 119 points (1982–83)
- Penalty minutes: Rob Ray, 446 minutes (1988–89)
- Goals Against Average (GAA): Martin Biron, 2.07 (1998–99)
- Save Percentage (SV%): Martin Biron, .930 (1998–99)
Career Records
- Career goals: Jody Gage, 351 goals
- Career assists: Jody Gage, 377 assists
- Career points: Jody Gage, 728 points
- Career penalty minutes: Scott Metcalfe, 1424 minutes
- Career goaltending wins: Bob Perreault, 108 wins
- Career shutouts: Bob Perreault, 16 shutouts
- Career games: Jody Gage, 653 games
