Patterson Named Captain for 2012-13 Season

Press Release

(Amherst, NY) - The Buffalo Junior Sabres today named Derek Patterson (pictured) the team's captain for the 2012-13 season. In addition, head coach and general manager Michael Peca named two sets of assistant captains, one pair for home games and the other for road games.

Returning forwards Josh Kielich and Ryan Schmelzer will wear the "A" on their uniforms during Jr. Sabres home games, while defenseman Sean Federow and forward David Seward will serve as assistant captains during road games.

Patterson, a native of Calgary, Alberta, returns to the team for his season season. Last season, he appeared in 43 regular season games, scoring six goals and ten assists. He also appeared in eight playoff games. Patterson is the son of former National Hockey League player Colin Patterson, who played most of his ten NHL seasons with the Calgary Flames but spent his last two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.

Kielich, a resident of Orchard Park, New York, also enters his second season with the team, coming off a 2011-12 season in which he finished second in scoring among all Jr. Sabres with 20 goals and 20 assists in 48 regular season games. He also recorded three goals and three assists in eight playoff games. Kielich is verbally committed to Canisius College beginning with academic year 2013-14.

Schmelzer, a resident of East Amherst, New York, debuted with the Jr. Sabres during the 2010-11 season, appearing in four games, then earned a regular roster spot the following season. In 2011-12 he scored 11 goals and 19 assists in 41 regular season games. He led all Buffalo scorers during the 2012 playoffs with four goals and seven assists in eight games.

Federow, who hails from Niagara Falls, Ontario, was acquired from the Oakville Blades this spring and has quickly emerged as one of Buffalo's leaders at that position. Last season with the Blades, he appeared in 36 games, scoring three goals and eight assists. He also scored one goal in the playoffs, in Game One of the Blades-Jr. Sabres playoff series ultimately won by Oakville.

Seward returns to the Jr. Sabres for a second season after a rookie campaign that saw him score 10 goals and 19 assists in 42 regular season games. He also appeared in three postseason games. Seward, like Kielich, is verbally committed to a NCAA Division I hockey program beginning in 2013-14. Late last season, he announced his verbal commitment to Princeton University.

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)