After turning team around, former Rochester coach Chris Taylor still in shock over firing

Tuesday was not a good day for the Buffalo Sabres after the team decided to clean house, firing GM Jason Botterill, assistant GM Randy Secton, several members of the scouting staff and the entire coaching staff of the AHL's Rochester Americans. Chris Taylor, who had been the head coach of the Amerks since June of 2017, told the Democrat and Chronicle he was stunned after getting the call that he had been canned and it hadn't worn off a day later. He said his shock started early Tuesday morning when he received a text saying Botterill had been let go.

“I was shocked when I woke up yesterday morning to get the text from Jason, just totally shocked,” Taylor said Wednesday afternoon. “I didn't even know what to think.”

However, Taylor said he in no way ever thought his job and the jobs of his assistants in the AHL would be in jeopardy. After all, the team had completely turned around since he took over. Then he received a phone call.

"I didn't get the call until the afternoon and I was definitely shocked again,” said Taylor. “I didn't see anything coming, any talks about it. Nothing, even after I talked to Jason [Botterill] and Randy [Sexton] in the morning. I never thought anything about our staff at all. I'm still shocked.”

Taylor had gone 116-65-33 since taking over as the head coach of the Amerks, an excellent record. The team was also about to make its third straight post-season appearance before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the AHL season.

“That's the disappointing part of it all,” said Taylor. “It's unfinished. We felt we were going in the right direction this year. Our staff did a great job and I'm very proud of what we accomplished, the culture we had created in Rochester with how we got the players out in the community and how much they enjoyed it. That's the tough part.”

Taylor had played 519 games with the Rochester Americans and is a member of the franchise's Hall of Fame and 50th anniversary team. He was team MVP three times and team captain twice. He also played 149 games in the NHL, split between the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres.

Source: Democrat and Chronicle

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