Shortly into his hour-plus-long initial conversation with Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert, Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
Appert was looking to fill the vacancies on his bench with the departures of Michael Peca (New York Rangers) and Mike Weber (St. Louis Blues). Prospal, 48, was in his native Czechia, thinking he’d be spending the hockey season in Tampa as a full-time dad.
On Monday, the Amerks announced that Prospal and Nathan Paetsch had been hired as Appert’s assistants.
“We could have spoken pretty much all afternoon,” Prospal said on a Zoom call with reporters. “It was awesome to talk to Seth about hockey, practices, the game, and everything like that. … As soon as I started talking to Seth, I felt that this is going to be a great opportunity.”
It wasn’t the first time they had connected. Six years ago, a mutual friend put them in contact to talk hockey and development. At the time, Prospal was coaching minor hockey for the Tampa Scorpions program while Appert was a coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
It was a conversation that stuck with the Rochester bench boss.
“I was really impressed that a player with 1,100 NHL games didn’t feel he had all the answers when it came to coaching,” Appert said. “That struck me. And all I remember about that conversation is how easy the conversation was for two guys that had never met each other.”
Prospal played 1,108 NHL games for seven teams over 16 seasons, amassing 765 points (255 goals, 510 assists). He represented his country on the international stage numerous times, winning the World Championship twice and claiming a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
While conducting his search, Appert, who never played pro hockey, wasn’t expecting to find anyone who could match Peca’s playing experience. Nor was that a requirement.
“To me, you hire people based on who they are first as human beings, the kind of character that they have, the kind of family man they are,” he said. “And then the ability for us as a staff to have a really strong relationship because the stronger our relationship is, the players see that every day and it helps strengthen the bond of the players.”
Prospal retired in 2013 after wrapping up his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He turned to scouting but after a few months knew that he wanted to pursue coaching.
“I believe coaching is the best next thing to playing,” he said.
Since then, he’s coached youth hockey; served as an assistant coach for Czechia at the Olympics, World Championship, and World Cup; and was head coach of his hometown team, HC Motor Ceske Budejovice, in the Czech Extraliga.
The suggestion of Prospal as a candidate came from Bob Daniels, Appert’s coach at his alma mater Ferris State, when Daniels had called to catch up a few weeks after the Amerks were eliminated from the Calder Cup Playoffs. Prospal had spent much of the past year visiting some of his former coaches to learn from them. He also spent a week immersing himself at Ferris State.
“I thought that that said a lot about how seriously he takes the profession,” Appert said.
Prospal spoke with Appert several more times, as well as with Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams and Rochester GM Jason Karmanos. He didn’t know what to expect but felt from the conversations as if he was already a part of the group.
“The world of hockey is looking at the Buffalo Sabres as an organization that is on the rise,” he said. “I’m very excited about going in there and looking at the younger players. [Seth] sent me a text message last week from development camp about how many great young hockey players are there on the ice and who we’re going to be working with. It’s very, very exciting. It’s something that I don’t take lightly.”
Paetsch, 40, played all but 10 of his 167 NHL games with the Sabres, who selected him in the seventh round (No. 202) of the 2003 NHL Draft. He played another 651 games in the American Hockey League, including 258 with the Amerks, and was a two-time Calder Cup champion with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
“To be a coach on that bench in front of friends and family, it’s just an opportunity I’m so grateful to have,” said Paetsch, who has made Rochester his permanent home.
He spent the past three seasons as a development coach with Buffalo and has built relationships with the organization’s prospects, including defensemen Ryan Johnson and Nikita Novikov, who will be newcomers to the Amerks’ blue line next season.
The Sabres also announced contract extensions for Appert and Buffalo assistants Matt Ellis, Marty Wilford, Jason Christie, and Mike Bales. Coach Don Granato was extended last October, prior to the start of the season.
“I love my job, I love who I work for, I love who I work with, and I take a lot of pride in being part of the Sabres organization and leading the Amerks,” said Appert, who will enter his fourth season at the helm in the fall. “I’m really proud of what we’ve been building the last couple of years.”