Taylor hired as Amerks coach

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

When Chris Taylor and Jason Botterill skated on the same line with the Rochester Americans 15 years ago, they played with care, accountability and professionalism every time they were on the ice.

As the team’s new head coach, Taylor hopes to rebuild that same pride-in-the-crest attitude during the upcoming American Hockey League season.

Taylor was named coach on Friday afternoon by the parent Buffalo Sabres, returning to a team he played with for nine seasons and spent another five as an assistant coach.

“We have to change the culture in the dressing room and the organization,” said Taylor, who last season was as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and will soon have a Stanley Cup ring because of the Pittsburgh Penguins championship. “We want people who work hard every day, not guys who just show up because we have practice.

“Guys have to be proud to put the uniform on and wear the Amerks crest.”

Thus, Step 1 for Taylor; Botterill, the Sabres new general manager and Amerks general manager Randy Sexton: Finding the right veterans to guide the prospects.

The Amerks haven’t won a playoff series since 2004-05 and didn’t even qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs the past three seasons.

“We want to put a product on the ice with good people,” Taylor said. “When you get sent down, you still need to perform and win. There’s nothing wrong with playing in the minors and being good. You’re not just here individually to get better; you’re also on this team to win.”

That’s the template used by the Penguins organization. Botterill was an assistant general manager in Pittsburgh for the past eight seasons, and his duties included oversight of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The AHL Penguins have won at least 41 games each of the last 11 seasons, and in four of those years won more than 50 games.

“We had guys (in Wilkes-Barre) who played five games (during the regular season in Pittsburgh) who were playing in the Stanley Cup final,” said Taylor, a 45-year-old native of Stratford, Ontario.

“It was good to go there this year and see how things are done in another organization,” Taylor said. “It gave me a different outlook on how things are run, the communication with management and players. It was all one big organization.

“For me, it will be about getting to know what the players’ needs are and them understanding why my expectations are.”

Taylor had hoped to become the Amerks head coach two years ago, but then-Sabres GM Tim Murray instead brought back Randy Cunneyworth and Taylor remained an assistant. Then last season, Dan Lambert was given the Amerks job and he in turn chose not to retain Taylor.

That meant some hardship off the ice for the Taylor family. Wife Lisa, daughter Samantha and son Nick were still in Rochester, which has been their home for the better part of two decades.

“Sometimes I saw them once a week, sometimes I saw them once a month,” Taylor said. “But we survived it.”

Now he’s home, intent on restoring pride to the Amerks.

Of note: Taylor said he will interview current Amerks assistant coaches Chuck Weber and Brad Tapper before deciding whether to speak to others about his staff.

Taylor becomes the 12th former Amerks player to become the team’s head coach.

As a player with the Amerks, Taylor ranks third in franchise history in assists (339), fourth in games played (519), fifth in points (481) and 10th in goals (142). He was inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility. He was a three-time team MVP and leading scorer.