Chris Taylor (ice hockey)

Chris Taylor (born March 6, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in 149 NHL games with the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres. In 2017, Taylor was named the head coach of the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League, the affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. In 2019, he was recalled by the Sabres as an assistant coach on an interim basis and returned to the Americans in late November,[1] staying until June 2020.

Chris Taylor
Taylor with the Rochester Americans in 2005
Born (1972-03-06) March 6, 1972
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for New York Islanders
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Frankfurt Lions
NHL Draft 27th overall, 1990
New York Islanders
Playing career 1992–2011

Playing career

Taylor had an impressive junior career with the London Knights, ending his tenure with the team as their all-time points leader with 378 (later surpassed by Corey Perry with 380 points) and was drafted by the New York Islanders in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft (2nd round, 27th overall) He then played for the Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League, but was frequently sent between the NHL and the minor leagues before going overseas with the Frankfurt Lions of Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga before the 2006–07 season.

On July 16, 2009, Taylor agreed to a two-year contract with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, a team he had played for from 1999 to 2006 while he was signed to their NHL affiliate, the Buffalo Sabres.[2]

Coaching career

On August 31, 2011, the Rochester Americans announced that Taylor had been hired as their development coach for the 2011–12 season. Later that season, he was promoted to an assistant coach. On June 6, 2016, incoming Rochester head coach, Dan Lambert, opted not to retain Taylor on the Americans' staff.[3] Taylor subsequently joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as an assistant coach on August 2, 2016.[4]

On June 30, 2017, Taylor was named head coach of the Rochester Americans.[5] A few days before the start of the 2019–20 season, Taylor was called up by the Buffalo Sabres as an interim assistant coach when Don Granato was forced to take a medical leave of absence from the Sabres.[6]

On June 16, 2020, Taylor was relieved of his duties as coach, along with Amerks general manager, Randy Sexton, and assistant coaches Gord Dineen and Toby Petersen[7] Taylor led the Amerks to a 116-65-33 record across three seasons as head coach.

On October 23, 2020, he was hired as an assistant coach by the New Jersey Devils.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1988–89 London Knights OHL 627162352 1502215
1989–90 London Knights OHL 66456010560 632516
1990–91 London Knights OHL 65507812850 748126
1991–92 London Knights OHL 66487412257 10816249
1992–93 Capital District Islanders AHL 7719436232 40112
1993–94 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 7921204138 —————
1994–95 New York Islanders NHL 100332 —————
1994–95 Denver Grizzlies IHL 7838488647 14761310
1995–96 New York Islanders NHL 110112 —————
1995–96 Utah Grizzlies IHL 5018234160 225111626
1996–97 New York Islanders NHL 10000 —————
1996–97 Utah Grizzlies IHL 7127406724 71230
1997–98 Utah Grizzlies IHL 7928568466 40226
1998–99 Providence Bruins AHL 21611176 —————
1998–99 Boston Bruins NHL 3735812 —————
1998–99 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 14312152 —————
1999–00 Rochester Americans AHL 4921284921 —————
1999–00 Buffalo Sabres NHL 111122 20002
2000–01 Rochester Americans AHL 4520244425 —————
2000–01 Buffalo Sabres NHL 140226 —————
2001–02 Rochester Americans AHL 7721456666 20110
2002–03 Rochester Americans AHL 6112556744 33142
2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 111342 —————
2003–04 Buffalo Sabres NHL 54661222 —————
2003–04 Rochester Americans AHL 249182720 16512170
2004–05 Rochester Americans AHL 7921587950 91894
2005–06 Rochester Americans AHL 3211263734 —————
2006–07 Frankfurt Lions DEL 5212344680 819108
2007–08 Frankfurt Lions DEL 5617496648 1258136
2008–09 Frankfurt Lions DEL 5215344960 50334
2009–10 Rochester Americans AHL 8017446189 71346
2010–11 Rochester Americans AHL 7210415138 —————
NHL totals 14911213248 20002

Coaching record
TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
ROC2017–18 763722-17913rd, NorthLost in Round 1
ROC2018–19 764623-7992nd, NorthLost in Round 1
ROC2019-20 623320-9752nd, NorthSeason Cancelled

Awards and honours
Award Year Notes
AHL
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award 2004–05 [9]

References
  1. "Chris Taylor leaves Sabres to resume duties as coach of Rochester". The Buffalo News. 2019-11-23. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  2. Oklobzija, Kevin (2009-07-16). "Chris Taylor is an Amerk again". Democrat and Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  3. Vogl, John. "Amerks hire two new assistant coaches, let go of Taylor". Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  4. "Chris Taylor, J.D. Forrest Named Penguins Assistant Coaches". WBS Penguins. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. "Amerks bring Chris Taylor back to Rochester as head coach". The Buffalo News. June 30, 2017.
  6. "Sabres, Amerks announce coaching staff update". AHL. October 1, 2019.
  7. Rochester Americans (June 16, 2020). "Sabres Announce Changes to Amerks Hockey Department".
  8. New Jersey Devils (October 23, 2020). "Release: Devils Hire Two Coaches".
  9. "Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award". American Hockey League. 2010-07-21. Archived from the original on 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
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