Weber named head coach in Rochester

Florida Panthers executive vice president and general manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has hired Chuck Weber as the head coach of the Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He becomes the 28th head coach in the history of the Rochester franchise.

“We are very pleased to have hired Chuck as our new head coach in Rochester,” said Tallon. “He is a bright hockey mind, who created a winning environment in Cincinnati over the last four seasons, leading his club to a pair of ECHL titles. Chuck is a high character and hard working coach who will do an excellent job developing and working with our top prospects in Rochester.”

Weber, 37, previously served as the vice president of hockey operations and head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) for the last four years. The Lockport, N.Y., native led his club to the ECHL conference finals in three of his four years at the helm, capturing the ECHL Kelly Cup title in 2008 and 2010.

Weber was named ECHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08, after finishing second in voting in 2006-07.

Prior to joining the Cyclones, Weber served as an assistant coach and assistant director of hockey operations with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). Weber began his coaching career during the 1999-2000 season as an assistant with the Orlando Solar Bears (IHL). In just his second season (2000-01) as an assistant coach, he was part of the Turner Cup championship team in the league’s final season.

The following year (2001-2002), Weber was the assistant coach with Trenton (ECHL), and the Titans posted the ECHL’s second-best record (46-16-10). In 2002-03, Weber served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). During his year with the Admirals, Weber helped direct the team to a 32-27-14-7 record.

Weber, a 1995 graduate of the University of Albany, majored in communications and had minors in athletic training and business. He was also a member of the Great Danes hockey program.

Tallon also announced that Jason Cipolla will return as the assistant coach for the Americans. In addition, Bob Janosz has been named as Rochester’s goaltending coach and Adam Reynolds has been named Rochester’s strength and conditioning coach.

“Jason, Bob and Adam will all play instrumental roles in the development of our players in Rochester,” said Tallon. “They will work closely with head coach Chuck Weber to create a winning environment that will be beneficial for the growth of our young players.”

Cipolla, 36, has spent the last three seasons working as an assistant coach for Rochester (2007-10). He brings to the club more than 15 seasons of playing experience, having appeared in 701 career games between North America and Europe. He won one championship in his career, capturing the 1997 Kelly Cup Championship with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Cipolla played in 299 AHL games with St. John’s (1994-97), Rochester (1999-2001) and Manitoba (2001-02), registering 62 goals and 102 assists. In 1999-2000, Cipolla helped Rochester reach its last Calder Cup Final. In 145 games with the Americans, he recorded 35 goals and 59 assists for 94 points

Janosz, 33, returns to Rochester after spending the 2008-09 season as the club’s goaltending and video coach. The Elma, N.Y. native has spent time with both the Muskegon Fury (UHL) and Arkansas Riverblades (ECHL). Before entering the coaching ranks, Janosz played for the Canisius College Griffins (1995-99), where he posted a 27-28-9 record and made 2,013 saves in 70 career games.

Reynolds joins the Rochester staff after serving as a conditioning specialist and chiropractor for Shape Health & Wellness in Toronto. He has also worked as a personal trainer for Extreme Fitness (2006-07), as well as a personal trainer at the University of Western Ontario (2001-05). The Toronto, Ontario native earned his Doctor of Chiropractic in 2009, Certified Strength and Specialist in 2007 and his Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario in 2005.