The U.S. NTDP lost both its U18 and U17 head coaches with just about a month before the scheduled start of the new season, although COVID-19 could delay the start of the season for both programs.
Seth Appert, the U18 head coach who was formerly at RPI, is headed back to the state of New York after accepting the head coaching job with the Rochester Americans in the AHL. The Americans are an affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.
“Seth has a proven track record of developing talent at various levels and we are looking forward to him being the next head coach of the Rochester Americans,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said. “His approach to coaching and leadership, both on and off the ice, is a natural fit with the philosophy Ralph Krueger and I have started to implement as we build the organization. Seth will be an asset to Rochester and to the Sabres organization, and I’m excited to see him succeed behind the bench with the Amerks.”
Appert spent 20 seasons in college hockey, first as an assistant at Denver (nine seasons), helping them win two national championships, and then 11 seasons as the head coach at RPI.
“It’s an honor to become head coach of the Rochester Americans and be part of the Buffalo Sabres organization,” Appert said. “I know the passion of both fan bases and I look forward to helping develop players for the Sabres while building on the winning culture in Rochester. I would like to thank Terry and Kim Pegula, Kevyn Adams and Ralph Krueger for this incredible opportunity and their belief in me.”
At the same time, U17 head coach John Wroblewski is leaving Ann Arbor to become the new head coach of the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
Prior to being named a head coach at the NTDP, Wroblewski served as head coach of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms for one season (2015-16). He also coached professionally as an assistant coach for two seasons (2013-15) with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and two seasons (2011-13) as head coach of the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators, where he was co-recipient of the 2011-12 Coach of the Year Award. Prior to Gwinnett, he also spent one season as an assistant coach for the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers (2010-11).
