Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Rolston Named Sabres Head Coach

Former college player and coach becomes 10th NCAA veteran behind an NHL bench.

Rolston Named Sabres Head Coach
Ron Rolston spent seven years coaching the U.S. NTDP prior to joining the pro ranks.

Ron Rolston, former Michigan Tech player and longtime college hockey assistant coach, has been named the interim head coach of the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced today.

Rolston, who had been serving as the head coach of the AHL’s Rochester Americans, will make his debut Thursday night in Toronto.

Former Collegians in NHL Front Offices

He becomes the 10th former college player to lead an NHL team as head coach, continuing a recent trend of more and more alums in positions of power in the NHL. Last week former Clarkson player Jarmo Kekalainen became the 12th former college player in a general manager’s role when he was hired in Columbus.

In all, well over 200 former college hockey players work in hockey operations in the NHL.

Lengthy Resume

Rolston spent years as a college assistant coach at Lake Superior State, Clarkson, Harvard and Boston College. He was on the staff at LSSU when his brother, Brian, played for the Lakers prior to his lengthy NHL career.

Rolston also coached a number of future college players in seven years with the U.S. National Team Development Program prior to taking the AHL position. Among those were Nathan Gerbe, who he will now coach in Buffalo, and Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk, who he will coach against Thursday night.

With the Sabres, Rolston takes over a team led by former Hobey Baker winner Ryan Miller in goal and former Minnesota star Thomas Vanek offensively.