The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers have entered into an agreement whereby Florida will supply eight to 10 players to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League for the 2005-06 season.
“We are pleased to be entering into this partnership with the Florida Panthers,” said Sabres general manager Darcy Regier. “This will be a great opportunity for Florida to have their top prospects develop within the winning tradition that has been established in Rochester. This also means that our fans in Rochester can look forward to watching a very exciting hockey team this season.”
“We are very excited about the opportunity to place some of our top prospects with the Rochester Americans,” said Florida Panthers general manager Mike Keenan. “The Americans own a storied tradition in the American Hockey League and we are very confident with this decision. Rochester general manager Jody Gage and head coach Randy Cunneyworth have a proven track record of developing young players in a winning environment and we look forward to aiding in the continued success of their franchise.”
Buffalo and Rochester will enter their 27th year as affiliated partners during the 2005-06 season. During their affiliation with the Sabres, the Amerks have compiled a record of 1,028-817-4-6 in 2,080 regular season games. Over that period, the team has captured nine regular season titles, and three Calder Cup championships.
