Buffalo Sabres Offseason Staff Changes

Sep 28, 2022 - 3:30 PM

Buffalo Sabres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hXo4JeIl6Uocpr8Lk9Ii0SY8XlM=/0x0:4127x2321/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71425976/1296858532.0.jpg" />

As the Buffalo Sabres prepare for another NHL season, just like any other NHL team, there have been a number of employee turnovers and job title changes over the last few months. Inspired by this post from Pension Plan Puppets, I embarked on a similar task to see who's in, who’s out and what’s changed on the Sabres/KeyBank Center/etc. staff.

I compared the current Sabres staff directory page to the same one on October 18, 2021. Here are the notable, or somewhat notable, changes. This list isn’t comprehensive, and I didn’t include every switch in departments like maintenance, engineering & security.

Longtime equipment manager Rip Simonick had spoken for years about retirement, or at least shifting to part-time work, but this is the first time in a long time that he isn’t listed at all on the Sabres’ website to start a new hockey season. It would appear that he has quietly retired, for real this time, and if that’s indeed the case, it would behoove the Sabres to properly honor him.

When it comes to the coaching staff, everything is pretty much status quo entering the season. Some of these changes we already knew about over the course of the past year, including the addition of two data/analytics positions. Regardless, it’s interesting to see where the turnover has occurred and what’s new heading into the season.

Despite his retirement, Rick Jeanneret is still listed as the team’s Play-by-Play Announcer, so I’d expect that further updates will be forthcoming.