After the 2024-25 season, the Rochester Americans looked like a team on the rise. They finished with the second-best record in the North Division with rookie head coach Mike Leone getting the most out of a talented roster. Leone was a young coach everyone would know in the hockey world, someone Dan Muse wanted to bring on board when he was hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the American Hockey League (AHL), the only thing that stays the same is change, and the Amerks have battled this season to stay competitive. A 24-19-5-3 record suggests they are putting together a great season; it’s above .500 hockey after all. The Americans have five losses in a row, and their 9-3 loss at home to the Laval Rocket on Feb. 27 was an exclamation point, one that has the fans wondering if this team and coach are built to win.
To make a push in the final 21 games, the Americans must battle. They have a tough schedule ahead of them, and they must go on a run to not only be in a good position but also prove they can defeat teams like the Rocket, who not only stomped them on Friday night but also defeated them in the Calder Cup Playoffs last season. Leone, who has battled before in his young coaching career, now must win the war that is his toughest season behind the bench at any level.
Why The Amerks Have Struggled
Turnover and roster movement are common occurrences in the AHL. Every team goes through it and must adjust from month to month or even game to game. The Amerks are no exception but for Leone, this is the first season he’s had to coach without the leaders on his roster.
“Two of my favorite players are in the NHL now. Not having centers in this league is huge, and we’ve tried to move players to center,” Leone noted in a conversation with Hockey Hot Stove. Isak Rosen, Konsta Helenius, and Noah Ostlund were all key parts of the 2024-25 team and building blocks of the 2025-26 roster. They’ve all missed significant time with NHL call-ups.
It’s a good problem to have when the prospects and AHL veterans are getting the nod to the next level. For the Buffalo Sabres, it reflects how things have changed for them as well. They have a new general manager (GM), Jarmo Kekalainen, who is willing to give the prospects a chance, and the injuries have forced his hand.
The combination has left the Amerks without some of their best players and a different group than the 2024-25 one. “When you’re in a winning culture, you’re going to develop better. They’ve been part of the winning in the NHL, and that’s important,” Leone added when asked about the differences, if any, when a new GM came in. The system and style of play are the same but with the NHL team in a playoff spot and playing well, they’ve relied on their prospects more and, by default, left the AHL team without as much talent.
The Americans particularly struggle up the middle, and without centers, they are battling every night, especially in their division. The Rocket have elite talent in all four lines at center, and the Cleveland Monsters, another team on the rise, have Luca Del Bel Belluz, who is a dynamic player who added a physical element to the game. The Amerks have adjusted by moving wingers to the center spot but it’s hurt them, especially on the defensive end, where teams can set up scoring chances in the interior of the offensive zone.
Mike Leone is Tested But Built To Turn The Americans Around
Leone comes from a development background. Before he was hired by the Americans, he spent time with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL and coached in the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP). Like many coaches in the AHL who come from that background, there are pros and cons to that experience.
The plus is the background with young players. In a development league, it’s pivotal to have a coach who can get the most out of the prospects and prepare them for the NHL. The downside, however, is the control or lack of it that comes with the AHL. Players are called up and sent down all the time, and the turnover forces teams and the coaches to either change their style or lean into a strength (whether it’s checking or rushes).
Leone is a balanced coach who, even in his 30s, looks like he’s been behind a bench for years. “I’ve always viewed it as, if someone’s watching our team, how do they view our hockey team?” For Leone, that means a team that can play in any type of game and, similarly, leans into the skill on the offensive end while remaining accountable defensively. “You have to let them play and make mistakes, it’s part of the game but it’s also about holding out players to a certain standard,” He added when talking about how his style hasn’t changed since he was hired by the Amerks.
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The added adjustment to the AHL is the ability to power through the tough times. Most coaches from a college, development, or junior background don’t experience tough seasons or losing seasons until they reach this level. Leone has been asked to handle these tough defeats, like the latest one against the Rocket. He’s been unfazed, and it leaves the Amerks in a good spot for a strong finish.
How The Americans Will Turn Season Around
“We have to find ways to do it for a full 60 minutes” is what Leone noted, and ironically, something coaches around the AHL have mentioned. It’s a coaching cliché, right up there with wanting a coach a fast team that pressures opponents with a forecheck and is tough to play against. The Americans specifically must find ways to avoid beating themselves up, which they’ve done a few times in their recent skid.
They will face the Rocket, the Monsters, and the Syracuse Crunch multiple times down the stretch, and it’s all about preparing to beat those teams. The Amerks have the skill to go up against them and will certainly have it when more prospects join the team but it’s about the structure and discipline on the other end that will make a difference.
A week from now, the NHL trade deadline will be out of the way, and it will give the Americans some clarity. The Sabres are in a tough spot and can make a push for the playoffs while trading a prospect or two. Likewise, they can sell and add more young talent to the system and, by default, to Rochester. In a week, Leone and the Amerks will know what they have for a strong finish.
Then, the Americans must amp themselves up for the home stretch. The games will be tighter and more physical, and Leone knows what it takes to get them into playoff form. More importantly, he knows that it’s a battle to survive in the playoffs, especially in a five-game series against the Rocket (which the team experienced last year). The Amerks must kick things into another gear, and now is the time to do it.
Other Notes From Leone & The Amerks
Sabres fans follow the Amerks mostly because of the prospects, and the standout in Rochester, certainly over the past two seasons, has been Helenius. He’s shown flashes in a few games in the NHL, and the big thing for him is to prove he can be a regular in Buffalo.
“He’s a really strong kid, he’s willing to engage in battles,” Leone mentioned when talking about the skilled forward. Helenius has always had the skill to be a great player, which is reflected in his 27 goals and 47 assists in 107 AHL games. The key for Helenius is to become a complete player. “Your 200-foot game and being responsible without the puck,” Leone noted, adding, “The habits and details are what keep you in the NHL, and he’ll be there.” The Finnish forward is already ahead of schedule, and now, it’s about finding out when, not if, he’ll be a regular at the next level.
Leone asked about the other coaches in the AHL, specifically, what the big differences between the experienced leaders and the younger ones are. Leone is one of the few coaches in the AHL under 40, along with Monsters coach Trent Vogelhuber, making him a younger coach in a league filled with them. It was fascinating but I noted how the older coaches have a different approach, where they are more patient. They don’t react to the highs and lows or the mistakes with much emotion because they see the big picture in mind.
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It’s possible Leone wanted to impress the interviewer. However, it’s more likely that the question reflects his curiosity and urge to master the job. He wants to coach for a long time and presumably wants to coach in the NHL someday. To do so, Leone will adapt over time and become a top coach, and learning from the best is the way to do it.
