AMERKS BOLSTER COACHING STAFF WITH YOUNG GUNS
Rochester is the lone team in the AHL to hire three full-time assistants this offseason
Aug 26, 2026By Griffin Della Penna | @GriffinDP_
Most of the buzz surrounding the AHL’s coaching carousel has focused on the 11 organizations who hired new head coaches. Even though Rochester doesn’t find themselves in that group, there were some glaring holes on Michael Leone’s staff ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Rochester said goodbye to its two full-time assistants starting in late June as Vinny Prospal departed to join former teammate and new St. Louis Blues head coach, Jim Montgomery. Earlier this month, Nathan Paetsch got his first head coaching gig with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. Leone and new general manager Stacy Roest immediately got to work, filling those vacancies while also adding another position that the Amerks coaching staff has never had before.
“We want passionate people in this organization, and you get that with all three of our new coaches,” Roest said. “Their experience in hockey is well beyond their years.”
On July 15, Roest announced the addition of assistant coach Scott Moser and goaltending coach Neil Conway as the newest members of the red, white, and blue. The final piece of the puzzle for Rochester was Philip Samuelsson entering the final assistant coach slot to complete the staff on Aug. 19.
All three candidates stood out during the interview process for their extensive knowledge and wealth of experience, even at a young age in the coaching world. Following the theme of Leone, who turns 39 in November, the additions behind the bench range from 35 to 39 years old. While other parent clubs might vouch for individuals with more AHL experience, Roest saw a much different approach in maximizing development in the Flower City.
“Just because you’ve been coaching for a long time doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re the right fit in what we are looking for. It’s a great opportunity to grow for these guys that they will take full advantage of,” Roest said.
Moser is a Western New York native from Tonawanda who played collegiately at Canisius College from 2008-12 before beginning his coaching career with his alma mater for five seasons. Following his stint with the Golden Griffins, Moser spent two years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with former Amerks head coach Chuck Weber before spending the last four as the associate head coach at the University of Vermont.
His college hockey background is complemented by coaching on the international stage with Slovakia at five World Junior (U20) Championships. Between his time with the Catamounts and Slovaks, Moser has coached over 30 NHL draft picks like former first-round selections Juraj Slafkovský and Šimon Nemec. His success at managing forwards and power-play units will be a major asset for the Amerks come this fall.
“[Scott] just has such a wealth of knowledge with a wide variety of experiences already in his coaching journey, Roest said. “When you talk hockey with him it’s so enjoyable because he’s so passionate about the game.”
Samuelsson is the most recent coaching acquisition for the Amerks and will transition to the bench following a 15-year professional career. Son of two-time Stanley Cup champion, Ulf Samuelsson, Philip was drafted in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He logged 512 AHL games and 151 points (27+124) with six different organizations but has spent the last seven seasons playing overseas in Czechia, Sweden, Germany, and Italy.
“It’s a unique perspective having [Philip] transition into coaching,” Roest said. “He spoke a lot about his own career and provided context on the things that worked well for him or things he wished he learned earlier on as a player. When Coach [Leone] and I spoke to him he already knew a lot about our players and fit exactly what we were looking to build.
That experience as a player will translate naturally for Samuelsson because coaching is in his blood. Ulf spent a dozen years as an assistant with four NHL teams and even spent a short stint as Philip’s head coach with the Charlotte Checkers in 2016-17.
“He’s a fantastic addition to the organization as someone our young defensive prospects will have the benefit of learning from,” Roest said.
Speaking of firsts, this season will be the first that the Amerks will have a designated goaltending coach on-site daily. The only previous resource available for the organization was goaltending development coach Seamus Kotyk, who remains stationed in Buffalo and visits Rochester regularly.
Conway alleviates that issue coming to the 585 after a successful tenure with the Youngstown Phantoms. As one of the top teams in the USHL, Youngstown allowed the fewest number of goals in the league with 147, resulting in 43 wins and 91 points last season. His versatility includes spending four years as a player in the ECHL with Cincinnati, Toledo, and Elmira. Roest believes Conway’s attention to detail and track record of developing goalies into NHL draft picks can be the missing piece for Rochester.
“Goaltending is such an important piece of the game. Having someone who is in the room daily will put our goalies in a great position to succeed. [Neil] can give an extra bit of confidence and be someone to lean on for the room playing as a huge part in their development.”
Rochester opens its 71st American Hockey League season a home on Friday, Oct. 2 against the defending Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. Season Ticket Memberships for the 2026-27 season, which start as low as $22 per game, are on sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.