Green Bay’s Mike Leone named head coach of AHL’s Rochester Americans

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The USHL has another coaching vacancy as Mike Leone has been named the next head coach of the AHL’s Rochester Americans.The news was officially announced by the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, ending Leone’s tenure in Green Bay after two seasons.Leone, 36, was both Green Bay’s head coach and general manager, and led the Gamblers to a 66-41-10-7 record and a pair of playoff berths.It was the first time in over a decade the organization made back-to-back playoff appearances and Green Bay advanced to the conference semifinals this spring.He’ll become the 34th coach in Rochester’s 68-year franchise history.“I’m extremely grateful and humbled to be a part of the Buffalo Sabres organization as the next head coach of the Rochester Americans,” Leone said in a statement. “I want to thank (Buffalo GM) Kevyn Adams and Jason Karmanos for giving me the opportunity to lead the organization and believing in me.“I look forward to meeting everyone in the organization and helping our prospects continue to grow and develop on and off the ice.”

We've got our guy ✍️

Michael Leone has been named the 34th head coach in Rochester Americans history.

🔗 DETAILS | https://t.co/4UR5BVJgCX pic.twitter.com/ORAddj1TqQ— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) June 6, 2024

Before being hired by Green Bay in April of 2022, Leone spent three seasons as an assistant at the NTDP.The Dearborn Heights, Michigan, native got his coaching career started in 2017-18 with the ECHL’s Quad City Mallards before spending one season at Bowling Green.As a player, Leone spent three years at Western Michigan before a four-year career in the ECHL and one year in France.Green Bay will be the fourth USHL team with a new face behind the bench next season as Omaha, Sioux Falls and Tri-City have already made coaching changes.