As Amerks await coach, Cunneyworth makes most sense

As the wait continues for the Buffalo Sabres to hire the Rochester Americans' next head coach, it's becoming quite apparent -- at least to me -- that Randy Cunneyworth will be back behind the Amerks bench.

Shortly after signing top draft pick Jack Eichel, Sabres general manager Tim Murray had talked about trying something different with the Amerks coaching staff; what exactly that different would be, he didn't say.

But as development camp ended last weekend, he said he has moved on from that idea and just needs to go with more conventional thinking on the hire.

Some possible candidates are already gone. Dan Lambert was hired to fill out Dan Bylsma's coaching staff in Buffalo. Mark Morris was named coach of the Charlotte Checkers.

However, the guy who all along has been perhaps the best available candidate is still available in Cunneyworth.

And the fact it has taken this long for the Sabres to hire the head coach for Rochester gives me the impression that they already know what they're going to do, that they're not bringing in a host of candidates for interviews because their guy is already in the organizational house.

Cunneyworth has a world of coaching experience: a franchise-record eight seasons with the Amerks, two years as an assistant with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers, a season with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, and another year (2011-12) in the NHL, first as Jacques Martin's assistant in Montreal and then as interim head coach for the Canadiens for the final 50 games.

Most importantly, he already knows the draft picks and prospects.

Cunneyworth returned to the Sabres organization in November of 2013 as a pro scout, then was elevated to player development coach midway through that season. His duties included on-ice and off-ice time with the Amerks and traveling throughout North America to evaluate and chat with prospects who were still playing in junior and college.

That meant he watched incoming draft picks such as Justin Bailey and Nick Baptiste the past two years. Those two will be rookies, and should play prominent roles, with the Amerks this season. They know him, he knows them.

He was on the ice in practice -- and after practice -- with players like Tim Schaller, Jake McCabe and William Carrier last season. Again, they're familiar with him and he's well aware of what they can and should do.

The development coaching role is vital, but the Sabres have already bolstered that department by hiring Adam Mair and Krys Barch in mid-June.

Those additions make it easy for Cunneyworth to transition back into coaching, something he has said he still wants to do -- and probably will be doing again in a very familiar place.

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For those of you who think the wait has been unusually long, it's really not.

The hire dates for recent Amerks coaches:

Brian McCutcheon, Aug. 12, 1997.

Cunneyworth, Sept. 8, 2000.

Benoit Groulx, Aug. 22, 2008.

Chuck Weber, July 27, 2010.

Ron Rolston, July 27, 2011.