Updated Seth Appert Hired as Amerks HC/Adam Mair and Mike Weber Named Asst Coaches

[Brawndo]

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Brawndo

[WildCard]

Seems Adams has been busy

Quote

With the NTDP, Appert, 46, helped a development model that produced an NHL-record 17 draft picks last June, including eight in the first round. The group included first overall pick Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. Appert is expected to work closely with Sabres coach Ralph Krueger to implement the same systems that are being used by the NHL team in Buffalo.

Appert has no experience in professional coaching. Before joining the NTDP in 2017-18, he spent 11 seasons as head coach at RPI, an NCAA program that competes in the ECAC, and began his coaching career with a nine-year stint as an assistant at the University of Denver.

Edited August 14, 2020 by WildCard

[DarthEbriate]

Dare I say it? Jedi Academy Sabres University 2.0

[Gabrielor]

Not familiar with him, but glad it's someone in place.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Gabrielor

[msw2112]

I'm not familiar with Appert either, but his background sounds a little bit like that of Ron Rolston.  For a minor league team that the big club wants to use for development purposes, this may be the right kind of hire.  Time will tell.

[LabattBlue]

Excellent.  The last NTDP guy worked out tremendously.
 

Just keep hiring guys who don’t have a f***ing clue when it comes to players above the age of 18.  
 

I really feel sorry for anyone who renewed their ST, and now for anyone who is a regular at Amerks games. 

[dudacek]

11 minutes ago, msw2112 said:

I'm not familiar with Appert either, but his background sounds a little bit like that of Ron Rolston.  For a minor league team that the big club wants to use for development purposes, this may be the right kind of hire.  Time will tell.

I was just about to post this.

I hope to god he isn’t a gardener.

Was it @3putt who had USA hockey contacts?

Edited August 14, 2020 by dudacek

[3putt]

More USHL.  Appert is highly regarded in the USHL.  More so from an organizational perspective than x’s and o’s.  So if I had to hazard a guess, the Amerks are going to become prospect heavy and let the cream rise.  

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, 3putt said:

More USHL.  Appert is highly regarded in the USHL.  More so from an organizational perspective than x’s and o’s.  So if I had to hazard a guess, the Amerks are going to become prospect heavy and let the cream rise.  

If he's USHL-aligned, then on a completely aside tangent I hope we draft the Gunnarwolfe Fontaine kid out of the USHL in whichever round is appropriate. I want all the best names.

[inkman]

50 minutes ago, 3putt said:

More USHL.  Appert is highly regarded in the USHL.  More so from an organizational perspective than x’s and o’s.  So if I had to hazard a guess, the Amerks are going to become prospect heavy and let the cream rise.  

Don't they need to have...uh...prospects to make that happen?

[kas23]

This guy is connected to Jeremiah Crowe as well. He was the HC of the NTDP while Crowe was the Director of Player Personnel. 

[LabattBlue]

54 minutes ago, 3putt said:

More USHL.  Appert is highly regarded in the USHL.  More so from an organizational perspective than x’s and o’s.  So if I had to hazard a guess, the Amerks are going to become prospect heavy and let the cream rise.  

Good... let him spend the year “fixing” Mitts and Tage.   If he fails at it, he’s fired. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by LabattBlue

[Curt]

First, I see people saying that Appert is a USHL coach, he isn’t really.  Most of his experience is at the NCAA level.

He has spent the past 3 years as HC of the USNTDP team, which is basically a draft/college prep program for elite USA players.  They play against USHL and NCAA teams, about 50/50.

Before that had 20 years of college coaching experience, 11 as HC of RPI.  Also serving as President of the American Hockey Coaches Association for 3 years.

Second, this hire seems fine.

 

[Curt]

43 minutes ago, kas23 said:

This guy is connected to Jeremiah Crowe as well. He was the HC of the NTDP while Crowe was the Director of Player Personnel. 

Are you sure?  Crowe’s last season was 2016-17, Appert’s first was 2017-18.

[Thorner]

Checks all the boxes of a Botterill type hire. 

[Curt]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Checks all the boxes of a Botterill type hire. 

How do?  None of Botterill’s hires had any NCAA coaching experience.

[Thorner]

48 minutes ago, Curt said:

How do?  None of Botterill’s hires had any NCAA coaching experience.

Just meant that the majority of our hockey department hires seem to have been USA Hockey connections type guys for a few years now. USNTDP and USHL common threads. The hockey department and scouting personnel staff is nearly entirely guys with those type connections. Most teams seem to be a little more mixed re: people with experience from other leagues/places like Hockey Canada, and notably also more than we have from Europe. Though Krueger adds a ton there connections wise. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Thorny

[inkman]

This is going to be disastrous

[LTS]

They could have hired Scotty Bowman for this position and I am confident that people would ***** all over the announcement.

 

[Thorner]

6 minutes ago, LTS said:

They could have hired Scotty Bowman for this position and I am confident that people would ***** all over the announcement.

 

Does anyone even know who he is? It's difficult to pass judgment on whether they'll do a good job or not at this stage. I noted another guy with USNTDP experience, it's a common thread in many of the hires. Other than that...have to go with those providing their more in-the-know reviews.

Of course, you'll always get the glowing stuff around now, too. Positively, at least there seems to be a cohesive vision being adhered to during these hiring processes. Early indications are Adams really seems to have a clear plan. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Thorny

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Does anyone even know who he is? It's difficult to pass judgment on whether they'll do a good job or not at this stage. I noted another guy with USNTDP experience, it's a common thread in many of the hires. Other than that...have to go with those providing their more in-the-know reviews.

Of course, you'll always get the glowing stuff around now, too. Positively, at least there seems to be a cohesive vision being adhered to during these hiring processes. 

Adams‘ hire was about trust.

It seems like every subsequent hire has been about the same thing. They haven’t reached very far outside their circle, and they haven’t gone for the  NHL old boys recycling bin.

Im not passing judgement, but I agree there seems to be a method being followed. Very interested in how involved Krueger has been, and curious to see if we’ll see some hires from his orbit.

Also curious if an assistant GM(s) will be brought in above these guys; There was some reference to Ellis’ duties being formerly Greeley’s responsibility. Appert’s career has some administrative flavour? Will he be as much Sexton as Taylor? Is Ellis/Crow/Jakubowski/Nightengale/Appert the inner circle, or is that just Adams/Krueger and maybe someone to be named later?

[Thorner]

15 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Adams‘ hire was about trust.

It seems like every subsequent hire has been about the same thing. They haven’t reached very far outside their circle, and they haven’t gone for the  NHL old boys recycling bin.

Im not passing judgement, but I agree there seems to be a method being followed. Very interested in how involved Krueger has been, and curious to see if we’ll see some hires from his orbit.

Also curious if an assistant GM(s) will be brought in above these guys; There was some reference to Ellis’ duties being formerly Greeley’s responsibility. Appert’s career has some administrative flavour? Will he be as much Sexton as Taylor? Is Ellis/Crow/Jakubowski/Nightengale/Appert the inner circle, or is that just Adams/Krueger and maybe someone to be named later?

It's impossible to say, and it's all so interesting. I haven't heard much about Jakobowski lately. The amount Crowe and Nightengale were being talked up, I am envisioning them like Xavier's X-Men or Charlie's Angels or whatever, Adams' right-hand people. He may add a few more. I think Krueger is on Adams' level, no? One is Vader one is the General in the first Star Wars. 

To me what I'm fascinated to see is how much of Botterill's firing was purely cause he couldn't make the current system run for less $, and how much of that was simply a tipping point because those in charge were dissatisfied with his performance. 

Adams' actions and processes should reveal a lot.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Thorny

[Ogre]

Have we established wtf was wrong with Taylor in the first place? Taylor was winning. Winning is good.

[DarthEbriate]

13 minutes ago, Thorny said:

One is Vader one is the General in the first Star Wars.

You mean General Tagge? Admiral Motti? Or do you mean Grand Moff Tarkin? Pol Treidum?    I...  I'll just wait outside for a bit.

[Thorner]

5 minutes ago, Ogre said:

Have we established wtf was wrong with Taylor in the first place? Taylor was winning. Winning is good.

I thought it was cause they didn't wanna pay him during the pandemic but I guess that's not it, considering the timing of this hire. I remember hearing something about "clean slate".