Brian Rolston recently retired from an illustrious hockey career, and he left behind an extremely impressive hockey footprint.
He excelled and was a key contributor to five different NHL teams in his nineteen year career, including: New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, and the New York Islanders.
The crafty winger also elevated his game while playing international hockey for his country.
Rolston's name was engraved on Lord Stanley's Cup after the versatile, offensive forward starred for Jacques Lemaire's New Jersey Devils in 1995.
He was a key contributor to Team USA's success at the World Cup of Hockey in 1996.
He represented Team USA three times in Olympic competition. In 2002, Rolston won the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City, Utah.
There's no denying Brian Rolston's hockey exploits. The guy was a winner on the ice.
Question du jour:
Is Ron Rolston's kid brother equipped to be an NHL assistant coach?
Earlier this week, Ron Rolston mentioned his brother at his introductory press conference. The elder Rolston noted that he and his brother have spoken many times over the years about hockey systems. Ron would pick Brian's brain to garner insights into the coaching philosophies of NHL luminary head coaches Jacques Lemaire and Claude Julien. Brian learned at the hand of several NHL master coaches, and his older brother seemed to be living vicariously through his kid brother. Ron's insatiable thirst for insight and intel was quenched by his younger brother.
In many ways, Brian deserves a high five or three for inspiring Ron to be his better coaching self over the years. When you glance at Ron's resume, its hard to find any blemishes. One concludes that without Brian's influence and tutelage, Ron may not be where he is today. Meaning, maybe we shouldn't be looking negatively at the possibility of brother Ron hiring Brian as an assistant coach.
Guided the Amerks to a 36-26-10-4 record and a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs in 2011-12, his first season behind the Rochester bench
A 2011 Bob Johnson Award recipient, which recognizes excellence in international competition during a season
A three-time gold-medal winner at the International Ice Hockey Federation U-18 World Championships in 2005, 2009 and most recently in 2011
During the 2010-11 season, he led Team USA to titles in the 2011 Five Nations Tournament and in the 2010 Four Nations Cup
Led the U.S. National Under-17 team to the 2009-10 campaign World Hockey Challenge title, its first since 2002
In 2008-09, led the U.S. National Under-18 Team to first-place finishes at both the 2008 Men’s Under-18 Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., and 2009 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament in Sweden
Also served as head coach for the U.S. National Junior Team on two occasions, helping Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden
Led Team USA to a silver medal at the 2007 IIHF U-18 tournament
Won NCAA National Championships in 1992 and 1994 with Lake Superior State University, a team he also guided to three straight appearances in the NCAA National Championship game and four CCHA tournament titles in his five-year stint
Perhaps the most decorated coach in NTDP history, Rolston-led teams have never missed the championship game in either of the major NTDP tournaments, the World Under-17
Hockey Challenge and International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship. In the 4 IIHF U-18 Championships that he his teams have competed in, they have brought home 3 golds and a silver medal.
Personally, I have a lot of time and respect for Brian Rolston. Watching his NHL career, I would always marvel at his clutch goal scoring and his gritty two-way style of play. He was a versatile player, a Swiss Army Knife of sorts. He played centre and wing.He killed penalties. He played PP QB. He was on the ice at the end of games. He finished all of his checks. He blocked shots. He back checked. He fore checked. He played the game the right way.
Isn't that what we want from the Buffalo Sabres moving forward? For them to play the game the right way? The Sabres are re-booting on the fly right now. There will be growing pains and hiccups along the way. I'm suggesting that Ron Rolston extend a job offer to his kid brother. He's earned the right to be compensated for all of the free advice that he's been giving his older brother over the years. If for no other reason, Ron should hire Brian to re-build and re-teach the Buffalo speacial teams that failed miserably inder Kevyn Adams the past two seasons. In 2013, the Buffalo PP was ranked 29th overall and 26th in penalty killing.
I like that Brian is a extrovert. He's a musician. He loves the Foo Fighters. He has a great sense of humor. He's a pop culture afficionado. He's a jock at heart. He has four kids at home. He's as tuned in to the thought processes and behaviors if today young players as anyone in the game. He's just like one of us. The thing that sets him apart from the rest is that his name is engraved on the Holy Grail of hockey. He's a warrior and a winner.
He's the polar opposite of his ultra-conservative, introverted older brother. They seem to counter-balance one another nicely. Ron is the analytical. Brian is the expressive. Each have their own unique idiosyncrasies. Different. Similar.
Both live, breathe, think, and feel hockey 24/7, 365.
Whats so wrong with that?
I'm willing to roll the bones on Brian Rolston because I think that he can and will impart his wisdom on young Sabres like Foligno, Grigorenko, Hodgson, Ennis, Porter, Flynn, Armia, Girgensons. I also think that he'll be a great influence on Vanek, Ott, Kaleta and the rest of the vets. Brian Rolston commands respect in the room and on the bench. He's been there, done that, and has invested more than his 10,000 hours. He's a winner.
He's not a hockey nerd. The guy has personality which augments his intensity and his hockey IQ.
The Legend Of Zemgus Girgensons continues to grow.
The Sabres prospect has been suspended one game by the IIHF for butt-ending a Slovak opponent in Thursady's 5-3 latvia win over Reggie Sekera and Team Slovakia.
Here's the official disciplinary statement, courtesy IIHF:
The 2013 IIHF Independent Disciplinary Panel has issued a one-game suspension to Latvia forward Zemgus Girgensons for butt-ending his stick on a Slovak player. Girgensons will miss his team’s next game on Saturday, 11 May against Germany.
The incident occurred during at 15:47 of first period in the game between Slovakia and Latvia on Thursday evening, with the score 2-1 for Latvia. In retaliation to a check by Slovak defenceman Branislav Mezei, Girgensons hit Mezei in the stomach with the butt end of his stick. The game ended with a 5-3 victory for the Latvians.
After reviewing the video evidence and the respective reports including the referee supervisor report and the report from the hearing with the player, the Disciplinary Panel decided to suspend Girgensons for one game. The play was determined to be an infraction of rule 521b “Butt-Ending” of the IIHF Rulebook.
Girgensons will return for his team's game against France.
The suspension is curious as Girgensons was not assessed a penalty on the play in questions.
In three games at the World Championships, Girgo has scored a PPG (vs. Slovakia). He's averaging 16:29 TOI per game. He's taken 5 shots on goal and has zero PIMs.
Join the Discussion:
»