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"Amerks" redirects here. For the two defunct sports teams sometimes called the Amerks, see New York Americans and Pittsburgh Americans.
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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 14: (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)
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 are based in Rochester, New York. The Amerks are part of the American Hockey League (AHL). They are the main farm team for the National Hockey League's (NHL) Buffalo Sabres.

The team plays its home games at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Americans are one of the oldest teams in the AHL. They have been in Rochester longer than almost any other AHL team has been in its current city.

The Amerks' team colors are red, white, and blue. Their logo is a badge with "Americans" written on it. They have won the Calder Cup six times. This is the championship trophy for the AHL. They have also reached the Cup finals ten other times.

History of the Amerks

Hockey in Rochester Before the Amerks

Hockey was popular in Rochester, New York, even before the Amerks started. In the 1920s, the city already loved the sport. The University of Rochester had a hockey team as early as 1906. Even East High School had a successful program.

Professional hockey first came to Rochester in 1935. This was with the Rochester Cardinals. They were part of the International Hockey League. The Cardinals played at Edgerton Park Arena. They only lasted one season and had money problems.

In the early 1950s, a new arena was being built in Rochester. Montreal Canadiens manager Frank Selke promised an AHL team for the city. In November 1955, a game between the AHL Buffalo Bisons and the NHL Montreal Canadiens sold out. Over 7,000 fans showed up, proving Rochester's love for hockey.

In 1956, the Pittsburgh Hornets team had to stop playing. Their arena was being torn down. This created a spot in the AHL for a team in Rochester. Two local hockey fans, Sam Toth and Ed House, tried to bring a team to Rochester. They wanted an AHL team.

However, a different group got the franchise. This group was supported by Frank Selke of the Canadiens and Conn Smythe of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens each owned a part of the new team. The rest was sold to people in Rochester. The team was named the "Americans."

Early Years (1956–1967)

Rochester americans 1956
Original logo of the Americans

The Americans joined the AHL for the 1956–57 season. They were connected to both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens managed the team at first. Under coach Billy Reay, the Amerks finished third in the league. They played against the Providence Reds in the playoffs.

With Bobby Perreault as their goalie, the Americans won that series. But they lost the Calder Cup finals to the Cleveland Barons. In 1959, the Amerks made the playoffs again. They lost to the Buffalo Bisons. The 1959 team had a famous line of players called "WHAM." These players were Rudy Migay, Gary Aldcorn, and Billy Hicke.

In 1959, the Maple Leafs bought out the Canadiens' share of the team. This gave them more control. By 1964, the Maple Leafs owned almost all of the Amerks. In the 1959–60 season, the Americans made history. They became the first AHL team to win a playoff series after being down three games to none. This comeback was against the Cleveland Barons. Rochester then lost the Calder Cup finals to the Springfield Indians.

After a tough 1960–61 season, the Canadiens ended their agreement with Rochester. The Americans became the only farm team for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Amerks made the playoffs in the next two seasons. However, they did not win the Calder Cup. The Pittsburgh Hornets team also returned in 1961. But Rochester was allowed to keep the Americans.

In 1963–64, former Amerks player Joe Crozier became the team's coach and general manager. Under Crozier, the Americans won the Calder Cup three times. They won in 1965, 1966, and 1968. They also reached the finals in 1967. They are the only AHL team to play in the Calder Cup finals four years in a row.

In 1965–66, the Amerks played some home games in other cities. This was because of a bowling tournament at the War Memorial. They played in Toronto and Buffalo. In the 1966 Calder Cup finals, Rochester beat the Cleveland Barons. This gave them their second straight Calder Cup. Many great players played for the Amerks during this time. Some of them were Bronco Horvath and Gerry Cheevers.

The Expansion Era (1967–1970s)

In 1967, the NHL added six new teams. This meant the Americans lost several players to these new NHL teams. The Amerks struggled at the start of the 1967–68 season. Coach Crozier made a trade with the Minnesota North Stars. This trade helped the team a lot.

The Americans improved and finished with the best record in the league. They then won the Calder Cup in 1968. They beat the Hershey Bears and the Quebec Aces in the playoffs. In 1966, the Maple Leafs sold the team to a group that included their general manager, Punch Imlach.

Two years later, the team was sold again. This time, it was to the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League. Many Rochester players moved to Vancouver. The Amerks finished in last place for two years. When Vancouver got an NHL team, the Amerks became their farm team.

The Amerks finished last in the AHL for four years in a row. Local fan support was low. But in 1972, a group of Rochester business people bought the team. This group included Sam Toth and Joe Fox. They named Amerks player Don Cherry as coach.

For the next two seasons, the Amerks played without a direct NHL team connection. They made the playoffs in 1972–73. In 1973–74, they were regular season champions. The Boston Bruins hired Don Cherry as their coach in 1974. They also became the Americans' parent team. The Amerks made the playoffs for four of the five seasons with the Bruins.

In 1979, the Knox family bought the Americans. They also owned the Buffalo Sabres (NHL). The Amerks became the Sabres' AHL farm team. This partnership lasted a long time. It was the longest NHL-AHL connection. The two cities are close, which makes it easy to move players between teams.

During this time with the Sabres, the Americans won three Calder Cups. They also reached the finals six other times. They only missed the playoffs five times in 28 years.

1980s–1990s

The Americans won their first Calder Cup with the Sabres in 1983. They swept the Maine Mariners in the finals. This team was coached by Mike Keenan. In the 1986–87 season, the team, coached by John Van Boxmeer, won their division. This happened in the very last game of the season.

A memorable moment happened during a playoff game against the Hershey Bears. A brawl broke out before the game started. The Americans won that series. They then faced the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the finals. The Amerks were down three games to two. But they came back to win the last two games and the championship.

After losing many players to the NHL, the Amerks had some tough seasons. But they returned to the finals in 1990 and 1991. They lost both times to the Springfield Indians. They also lost in the finals in 1993 to the Cape Breton Oilers.

In the 1995–96 season, the Americans started slowly. But they got much better thanks to goalie Steve Shields. The team easily won the first three rounds of the playoffs. They then won a tough series against the Portland Pirates. This gave them their sixth, and most recent, Calder Cup.

2000s and Beyond

Ryan Miller Tom Askey
Ryan Miller with the Americans in 2005

In 2000, former Amerks player Randy Cunneyworth became the team's coach. On November 12, 2003, the Sabres and the New Jersey Devils played an NHL game in Rochester. This was the first NHL regular-season game ever played in the city.

In the 2003–04 season, the Americans reached the Western Conference Finals. They lost to the Milwaukee Admirals, who went on to win the Calder Cup. In 2005, the Americans started working with two NHL teams. They signed an agreement with the Florida Panthers. Both the Panthers and Sabres sent players to the Amerks.

In 2007, the Sabres announced they would no longer be affiliated with the Americans. This was due to money issues and problems between the team owners and the arena. In 2008, the 29-year partnership officially ended. The Sabres chose the Portland Pirates as their new AHL team.

However, this separation did not last forever. In 2011, Terrence Pegula bought the Buffalo Sabres. He then bought the Amerks shortly after. This reunited the two clubs. On May 6, 2008, the AHL approved the sale of the Americans to Curt Styres. He also bought the Rochester Knighthawks lacrosse team.

In 2009, Jody Gage left his role as the team's general manager. He had served for 13 seasons. Gage is now the team's director of strategic planning.

2010s and Recent Seasons

Amerks Alumni at 2011 Home Opener
Americans alumni in an on-ice ceremony before the 2011 home opener

The Americans earned their 2,000th win on February 21, 2010. This was in a shootout against the Portland Pirates. On May 17, 2011, it was announced that Terry Pegula planned to buy the Americans. He wanted to bring the Amerks and Sabres back together.

After some agreements were made, Pegula bought the Amerks for $5 million. The official announcement came on June 24, 2011.

Rochester Americans 60th Anniversary Game
A faceoff during a Rochester Americans game in 2016.

For the 2013–14 season, the Americans played in an outdoor game. This was part of the AHL Outdoor Classic at Frontier Field. They played against the Lake Erie Monsters. After this, they went to play in the 2013 Spengler Cup. This was the first time an AHL team had played in this tournament in 17 years.

In 2015, Randy Cunneyworth returned as the Americans' head coach. He had coached the team before from 2000 to 2008. He was later moved to a different role in 2016. Dan Lambert became the new head coach. Lambert was fired at the end of the 2016–17 season.

For the 2017 season, the Sabres decided the Amerks would have their own general manager. Randy Sexton became the Americans' general manager. Former Amerks player Chris Taylor was named head coach.

In 2020, Sexton and Taylor were fired. Seth Appert was hired as coach. Jason Karmanos became general manager.

During the 2021–22 season, the Americans made the playoffs. They finished fifth in their division. They won their first playoff series in 17 years. They beat the Belleville Senators in overtime games. They then upset the Utica Comets. They reached the North Division finals but lost to the Laval Rocket.

The Americans also made the playoffs after the 2022–23 season. They finished third in the North division. They came back from being down 2–0 to beat Syracuse. They then swept the Toronto Marlies. This sent them to their first conference finals since 2004. They lost to the Hershey Bears.

In the 2023–24 season, the Amerks finished second in the North Division. They made the playoffs but lost to the Syracuse Crunch. In the 2024–25 season, they finished second again. They won their first playoff series against Syracuse. However, they lost to the Laval Rocket in the next round.

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 — — —
2024–25 72 42 22 — 5 3 92 .639 238 191 2nd, North 2025 BYE W, 3–0, SYR L, 2–3, LAV — —

Team Affiliations

The Rochester Americans have been connected to several NHL teams over the years. These connections are called affiliations. Here is a list of their past and current NHL partners:

Players and Team Staff

Current Roster

Updated July 17, 2025.

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
– Canada Costantini, MatteoMatteo Costantini C L 22 2025 St. Catharines, Ontario Americans
8 United States Joshua, JaggerJagger Joshua RW L 26 2025 Dearborn, Michigan Americans
– United States Kuntar, TrevorTrevor Kuntar C L 24 2025 Buffalo, New York Americans
36 Canada Laaouan, NoahNoah Laaouan D R 24 2023 Halifax, Nova Scotia Americans
19 United States Slaggert, GrahamGraham Slaggert C L 26 2023 South Bend, Indiana Americans
– United States Tischke, PeterPeter Tischke D L 29 2024 Hinsdale, Illinois Americans
45 United States Warren, BrendanBrendan Warren LW L 28 2021 Carleton, Michigan Americans

Retired Numbers

The Rochester Americans have honored two players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will wear these numbers again.

  • Number six was retired for Norm "Red" Armstrong. This happened after he passed away in 1974 at age 35.
  • Number nine was retired for both Dick Gamble and Jody Gage. Gage, known as "Mr. Amerk," broke Gamble's team scoring records. Gage also served as the team's general manager for 12 years.

Team Captains

  • 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

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 Leaders

Single Season Records

These are the best individual player records for one season:

  • Goals: Paul Gardner, 61 (1985–86)
  • Assists: Geordie Robertson, 73 (1982–83)
  • Points: Geordie Robertson, 119 (1982–83)
  • Penalty minutes: Rob Ray, 446 (1988–89)
  • Goals Against Average (GAA): Martin Biron, 2.07 (1998–99)
  • Save Percentage (SV%): Martin Biron, .930 (1998–99)

Career Records

These are the best individual player records over their entire time with the Amerks:

  • Career goals: Jody Gage, 351
  • Career assists: Jody Gage, 377
  • Career points: Jody Gage, 728
  • Career penalty minutes: Scott Metcalfe, 1424
  • Career goaltending wins: Bob Perreault, 108
  • Career shutouts: Bob Perreault, 16
  • Career games: Jody Gage, 653
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