BREAKING DOWN THE OPENING NIGHT ROSTER
Oct 10, 2023The Rochester Americans open the 2023-24 season on Friday, October 13 against the Bridgeport Islanders, and the roster is currently 16 forwards, 8 defenseman, and 3 goaltenders deep.
After the Buffalo Sabres reassigned eight players at the end of last week to lock-in their Opening Night roster, the Amerks made a corresponding move: sending five players to the Jacksonville Icemen, the new ECHL affiliate.
“We’re deep right now,” Amerks head coach Seth Appert told the media after practice on Monday. “It’s a good problem. It’s a credit to our scouting staff and management for signing a lot of really good players.”
As fans pile into Blue Cross Arena for the 7:05pm puck drop, they’ll first be treated to full-team introductions and a special North Division Championship shoutout pregame.
For many Amerks fans, there will be a lot of familiar names from last season’s squad hitting the ice again this year. In fact, Rochester is returning its top nine scorers from last season.
RETURNING THE CORE
After a successful 2022-23 season that culminated in an Eastern Conference Finals berth, the Amerks are returning 18 players from last season’s squad.
#28 MICHAEL MERSCH
Veteran forward Michael Mersch returns for his fourth season in Rochester and will serve as team captain for the third-straight season. Mersch tallied 45 points in 61 games, tying his career-high with 28 assists on the season.
Mersch added 13 points in 14 Calder Cup Playoff games, tied for the team lead, but more importantly, is a strong, veteran presence for such a young squad. Mersch wore a letter for the Sabres during the preseason and, according to Appert, “that shows organizationally what we think of him and how important he is to this group and to the organization.”
“With how many prospects we’ve had, and the mentorship and leadership he provides, to see Kevyn [Adams] and Donny [Granato] reward him and put the A on his sweater during that exhibition game was pretty special.”
#7 ETHAN PROW
Another member of the leadership group returning to Rochester is defenseman Ethan Prow; he’ll serve as assistant captain for the third-straight season with Mersch.
Last season, Prow recorded 41 points in 67 games while manning the Amerks top power play for much of the season. He added 8 points — 7 assists! — in the playoffs last season. Prow ranked seventh on the squad in scoring and will look to continue his success from the blue line.
#11 LUKAS ROUSEK
Forward Lukas Rousek, who led the Amerks with 56 points in 70 games last season, returns for his second full season with the squad. After THIS with the Buffalo Sabres during the preseason, Rousek will look to continue his offensive prominence in the AHL.
His 12 points in the playoffs ranked second on the team. Rousek will compete to earn another call-up to the Sabres, after making his NHL debut — and scoring on his first shot! — on March 27, 2023 in Buffalo.
#26 MASON JOBST
Last season’s Most Improved Player, forward Mason Jobst returns for his third year in the red and blue. After a late-season trade at the end of the 2021-22 season, Jobst re-signed with Rochester over the summer, and posted the best year of his career… by a lot.
Jobst scored 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games, and found himself playing big minutes on a big top line late in the year. He tied with Mersch for the team lead with 13 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
#81 BRETT MURRAY
Playing with Jobst on the top line late in the season was forward Brett Murray, who is suiting up in his fifth season with the Amerks this season. Murray posted a career-year across the board last season: 23 assists, 26 goals, and 49 points were all career-highs.
Murray ranked third on the team in scoring during the regular season, playing in every game but one, and added 10 points in the Playoffs, too. Murray tallied 3 game-winning goals and 8 on the power play as the big man up front.
#10 BRANDON BIRO
Forward Brandon Biro also posted a career-year across the board, recording 16 goals and 35 assists for 51 points… all career-highs. Biro was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, as voted on by his teammates, in his third season in Rochester. Biro’s season was shortened by injury, but he worked hard to battle back and would have been ready for the Calder Cup finals had the team advanced past Hershey.
The injuries proved to motivate Biro, who feels he has come back stronger this season than he was before, both mentally and physically. Biro made his NHL debut on February 23, 2022, and will work to earn another roster spot with the Sabres after a strong Training Camp.
#13 LINUS WEISSBACH
Trailing just behind Biro and Murray in scoring, forward Linus Weissbach is returning to Rochester for his third season in red, white, and blue. Posting career-highs in goals (20), assists (27) and points (47), Weissbach also tallied four game-winning goals last season.
He added three goals and 7 assists in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Most notably, however, Weissbach rocked the mullet for the postseason before shaving his head bald ahead of this season.
#45 BRENDAN WARREN
Also returning for his third season, forward Brendan Warren looks to build upon last season’s success. He appeared in 43 games for the Amerks and added five points in 8 Calder Cup Playoff games after returning from injury.
Warren suited up for the season during a preseason game, proving how hard he has worked over the last two years.
The Carleton, Michigan-native was reunited with fellow Wolverine, Joseph Cecconi, last season. The two had been roommates in college and immediately became roommates again on the road.
#3 JOSEPH CECCONI
Though he may hail from the University of Michigan, defenseman Joseph Cecconi was born and raised in Youngstown, New York, dreaming of becoming a Buffalo Sabre. Acquired during last season’s trade deadline from the Dallas Stars, Cecconi re-signed with the Sabres over the summer.
Cecconi saw his childhood dream come true as he suited up in the royal blue during the preseason. Cecconi’s family was able to watch him play at KeyBank Center, but they also saw him play during the end of the last season where he tallied 2 goals and 3 assists (including a goal in Hershey on his birthday!) during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
#4 JEREMY DAVIES
Cecconi’s defensive partner for most games after his trade, defenseman Jeremy Davies enters his second season in Rochester. Davies tallied 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 66 games for the Amerks — and he added a goal and 5 assists during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Davies suited up for one game with the Sabres last season before re-signing with Buffalo over the summer. With the added defensive depth, it’ll be interesting to see if the Davies-Cecconi pairing remains a mainstay on the Rochester blue line.
#29 MICHAEL HOUSER
Between the pipes, goaltender Michael Houser returns to Rochester for his fourth season, after spending the entirety of last season with the Amerks. Houser saw action in 21 games, posting nine wins and a .906% save percentage.
Most notably, Houser posted three-straight wins in Utica late last season to secure Rochester’s first round bye above the Comets. Houser, a fan favorite, was voted the Unsung Hero of the 2022-23 season, as voted on by members of the media.
ROOKIES NO LONGER
Rochester returns five forwards who completed their rookie seasons last year, and each is poised to explode in his sophomore season.
#25 JIRI KULICH
Named to the inaugural AHL Top Prospects Team, forward Jiri Kulich recorded 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) during his rookie campaign. Kulich ranked first in goals for Rochester and eighth in the league among all rookies.
Kulich really came into his own after returning from IIHF World Juniors, going on a scoring tear that culminated in a goal in six-straight Calder Cup Playoff games. Kulich tallied five power play goals during the postseason — after scoring nine in the regular season — and became the biggest special teams threat for the Amerks.
#18 ISAK ROSEN
You can’t mention Jiri Kulich without also talking about Isak Rosen. Rosen ranked ninth on the team in points, scoring 14 goals and 23 assists (for 37 points) during his rookie season. Rosen tallied three game-winning goals during the regular season and contributed four goals and four assists in 14 games of the postseason.
Rosen made big strides in the offseason really stood out at Prospects Challenge this fall in Buffalo: he recorded two goals and two assists in his two games. “It’s fun to see him kind of start where he left off,” Appert said of Rosen in early September. “I thought that was a very good sign for his development.
#44 TYSON KOZAK
Another standout at the Prospects Challenge was Tyson Kozak. “Every line he goes on, their lines plays good,” Appert said of the sophomore forward. Kozak is a consistent physical presence on the ice, something he proved throughout last season.
Kozak recorded 10 points in 55 regular season games, but added 2 goals and 3 assists in his 14 playoff appearances. Fans will most likely remember Kozak from his beatdown against the Utica Comets at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, April 1. If he continues on this path, he’s going to be fun to watch.
#71 FILIP CEDERQVIST
Another big, young forward who returns to Rochester for his sophomore season is Filip Cederqivst. Cederqivst tallied 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) in 55 games last season, sidelined a few times due to injury. He returned for 8 postseason games, adding 3 assists in his showings.
Cederqvist recorded a hat trick in the last regular season home game: and he scored all three goals in 4:47. The forward added another goal in the following game, helping the Amerks secure a first-round bye in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
#52 ALEKSANDR KISAKOV
Aleksandr Kisakov appeared in 48 points during his rookie season in Rochester, tallying six goals and two assists — and a few of those goals were huge for the squad. Kisakov tallied the game-winning shootout goal on March 24 at home against the Hershey Bears, a game that would jump-start the Amerks big playoff push.
He added another goal to seal the win against the Utica Comets on April 1, continuing the race to the second seed in the North Division. Kisakov returns to Rochester having gained a lot of muscle over the summer.
#22 ZACH METSA
Okay, so he's still technically a rookie, but it doesn't feel like it. Defenseman Zach Metsa joined the team after signing a two-year deal on April 13, immediately after winning a National Championship with Quinnipiac. Metsa served as team captain to the winning squad.
The blueliner made his professional debut during Game 2 in Syracuse and tallied three points in his 13 playoff games. Metsa, who will wear No. 22 this season, will still be considered a rookie.
NEW GUYS IN TOWN
There are two foes-turned-friendly faces in Rochester this season: Graham Slaggert and Justin Richards. Both competed in the North Division last year but signed with the strong Amerks squad in the offseason.
#19 GRAHAM SLAGGERT
Forward Graham Slaggert spent last season in Toronto, seeing his season end at Blue Cross Arena on Wednesday, May 17. That was water under the bridge for Slaggert, as he expressed how excited he was to play under Appert. Slaggert’s older brother played for Appert at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, and the families remain close to this day.
Slaggert tallied ten points (6 goals, 4 assists) in 63 games last season for the Marlies and enters his third professional season in Rochester this fall.
#16 JUSTIN RICHARDS
Forward Justin Richards also faced the Amerks in his last game of the 2022-23 season, but the Monsters’ playoff bid fell short as Rochester secured the first-round bye with a win in Cleveland on April 16. Richards, who Appert has noted was a very difficult player to play against, joins the Rochester squad for his fourth professional season.
Richards recorded 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games last year for the Monsters. That ranked him as the second-leading scorer for the North Division squad, and it’s certainly a relief that he’ll be in red, white, and blue this season.
FROM THE SABRES
With an abundance of defenseman, the Buffalo Sabres reassigned Kale Clague, Riley Stillman, and Ryan Johnson to the Amerks over the weekend. All three players will be solid additions to a chock-full blue line in Rochester.
#56 KALE CLAGUE
Defenseman Kale Clague spent the majority of last season with the Buffalo Sabres, after appearing in 14 games for the Amerks to start the 2022-23 campaign. Clague tallied a goal and five assists before receiving his call-up to Buffalo, which would eventually stick.
Clague appeared in 33 games for the Sabres last season and has 91 career NHL games under his belt between Los Angeles, Montreal, and Buffalo.
#61 RILEY STILLMAN
Also reassigned to Rochester over the weekend, defenseman Riley Stillman is set to make his Amerks debut on Friday night. The blue liner appeared in 18 games last season for the Sabres, and has 158 overall NHL games between Florida, Chicago, Vancouver, and Buffalo.
Stillman’s previous AHL experience was in Syracuse (but luckily only 5 games!) and Springfield for 84 games acrosse the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
#23 RYAN JOHNSON
The third blue liner reassigned from Buffalo created sum buzz during Training Camp for the Sabres. Rookie defenseman Ryan Johnson is set to make his professional debut in Rochester.
Johnson signed his two-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres in May and reported to Rochester to join the squad amid the playoff run. Johnson was a 2019 first round pick who spent four seasons at the University of Minnesota.
NETMINDERS: NEW AND KNOWN
The Amerks are currently carrying three goaltenders on the roster, just like the Buffalo Sabres, In addition to Michael Houser, mentioned above, Devin Cooley and Dustin Tokarski signed contracts over the summer.
#1 DEVIN COOLEY
Devin Cooley spent the last two seasons in the Central Division with the Milwaukee Admirals. Cooley saw the ice in 26 regular season games last year, recording a .909% save percentage and 15 wins. He earned the starting spot for the Admirals’ playoff run, leading them to the Western Conference Finals.
Cooley started in the preseason game against the Syracuse Crunch, wow-ing the home crowd with an across-the-crease save late in the third period.
#34 DUSTIN TOKARSKI
A familiar face for Amerks fans, goaltender Dustin Tokarski returns to Rochester after spending last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Tokarski suited up in 36 games for the Pens, notching 12 wins and a .910% save percentage.
Tokarski went 1-1 in Rochester during the 2020-21 COVID season, with a .932% save percentage in those two games. He’ll wear No. 34 in his return to Blue Cross Arena.
PROSPECTING NEW GUYS
#20 OLIVIER NADEAU
Though forward Olivier Nadeau did not play for the Amerks last season, he did practice with the Rochester squad during the playoff push. Nadeau spent last season with the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL, recording 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 34 games.
Nadeau signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres in May 2022, after the Sabres drafted him in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
#79 VIKTOR NEUCHEV
Rookie Viktor Neuchev looks to make his North American debut after signing his three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres this past May. The 19-year old forward was drafted by the Sabres in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and spent last season with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL.
Neuchev participated in both Development Camp and the Prospects Challenge for the Sabres, and has quickly become an inseparable trio with Kisakov and Novikov.
#74 NIKITA NOVIKOV
In another May move from Buffalo, defenseman Nikita Novikov signed his three-year, entry-level contract after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Sabres.
Novikov spent the last two seasons playing professional in the KHL. He’ll look to make his North American debut after a career-high 62 games with the Dynamo Moscow.
NEW AFFILIATION
The Jacksonville Icemen are the new ECHL affiliate in the organization, led by head coach Nick Luukko. Earlier this week, the Amerks reassigned forwards Damien Giroux and Riley Fiddler-Schultz as well as defensemen Chris Jandric and Nicolas Savoie.
“It’s better to play,” Appert explained about making the moves. “It’s better to play in Jacksonville than it is to sit here.”
Appert also explained that he feels confident sending this group to Jacksonville to continue their development: “Jacksonville is a great situation. They have a great ownership group. They have a great practice facility. They have great attendance.”
And they’ll be playing a similar style to Rochester under Luukko, who Appert worked with in Buffalo during training camp.
“The best advice I can give players: be invested where you are. Be all in on being a part of Jacksonville. Try to help them win and be invested there. That’s the best way to get back here.”
OPENING NIGHT ON FRIDAY
The Amerks face the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday, October 13 for the Home Opener, presented by Kinecta Federal Credit Union. Fans can kickoff the fun with the annual ROC the Block Party on Broad Street, featuring food, drinks, a band, and plenty of family fun starting at 4pm outside Blue Cross Arena.
The first 2,000 fans will receive replica North Division Championship banners, and the first 5,000 fans will receive purple Kinecta-branded thundersticks. Fans should be in their seats by 7pm for pregame roster introductions.
On the way out, fans can receive a magnet schedule, presented by Nissan.