BUFFALO, N.Y. — If you ask him, the last month for Rochester Americans head coach Mike Leone has been a whirlwind.
"I'm excited to go home and just spend some time with my wife and our newborn, but it's been probably the best month I've had in my life," Leone said. "It's been unbelievable. I'm really fortunate to be in this organization and to be given this opportunity.
"Obviously with the newborn I was hopeful to get to the camp on the back end. I'm glad I got to come and meet everyone but I'm excited to go home though today and see the family, enjoy the holiday weekend and relax."
After all, it was just one week from Thursday that Leone and his wife welcomed a new baby girl into the world.
"We had a little baby girl, Ivy," Leone said. "Thank you, thank you very much. Not a lot of sleep."
Not a lot of sleep in what has been a pretty busy month for Rochester's new head coach. Leone was hired by the Amerks in early June after spending two seasons as the head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL.
"It's surreal," Leone said. "I've been fortunate to play for a lot of great coaches and I wanted to take this path. You never know when you're going to get your opportunity and it was surreal putting the Sabres logo on and looking at your stall before you're about to get on the ice.
"It's always been my dream to be in an NHL organization, and it's real, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited to get started."
Up next for Leone and the rest of the Sabres organization will be the Prospects Challenge back in the LECOM Harborcenter in early September.