Sabres to hire Dineen to coach in Portland
Ex-NHLer will tutor Buffalo prospects
The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon plan to name Kevin Dineen as their American Hockey League head coach in Portland, giving the 19-year NHL veteran the responsibility of developing a fresh group of prospects while allowing him to stay with the same team.
A news conference has been scheduled for 2 p. m. today in Portland, where the announcement will be made. Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier would neither confirm or deny Dineen’s hiring, but several sources confirmed Monday that an agreement had been reached.
Dineen has been the top candidate for the job since July 24, when former Rochester Americans coach Randy Cunneyworth left the organization to become an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers. Dineen, who coached the Pirates for the three previous seasons, had several discussions with the Sabres about keeping him in Portland.
There also were indications Monday that former defenseman Eric Weinrich, who spent 17 seasons in the NHL, would be hired as an assistant under Dineen.
Weinrich spent the last two seasons as a player and mentor for the Pirates. He grew up about 45 miles from Portland and lives in suburban Yarmouth. He expressed interest in coaching during an informal meeting with the Sabres over the summer and is expected to be considered. That decision could be left for Dineen. Click here to read the Portland Press Herald story.
The Pirates finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 45-26-5-4 record last season, when they were affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks. They won the first two rounds of the Calder Cup playoffs before falling to the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference finals.
Dineen had 355 goals and 760 points in 1,188 games in his NHL career, which began in Hartford and included stops in Philadelphia, Carolina, Ottawa and Columbus. He was widely respected for his work ethic and intelligence as a player and coach, the very qualities that the Sabres saw in Cunneyworth.
Buffalo relied heavily on Cunneyworth over the years to bring along what has since evolved into the core of their team. Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, Paul Gaustad and Patrick Kaleta are among several players in Buffalo who were groomed in Rochester.
The chore expected for Dineen this season is bringing together leftover faces from a shared affiliate in Rochester and a group of rookies who turned professional after successful college careers.
The Sabres ended their 29-year relationship with the Amerks after last season, when they finished last in the AHL with a team that stocked by Buffalo and the Florida Panthers. The Sabres are stocking their own roster this season in Portland, which will be the first stop for many looking to reach the NHL.
South Buffalo native and former Michigan State standout Tim Kennedy and ex-Boston College star Nathan Gerbe, who guided their teams to NCAA titles in the last two seasons, and University of Denver defense-man Chris Butler are three players who are expected to start in Portland.
The final roster will be determined in training camp.
Buffalo signed two more players Monday, adding wingers Colton Fretter and Colin Murphy to the training camp roster. Fretter, 26, played 26 games (10 goals, five assists) in the AHL last season with Bridgeport and Chicago after four years at Michigan State. Murphy had 11 goals and 16 assists for AHL Toronto last season.
