Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor (born March 6, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who is currently an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken 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, staying until June 2020.

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.

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. Taylor subsequently joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as an assistant coach on August 2, 2016.

On June 30, 2017, Taylor was named head coach of the Rochester Americans. 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.

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. 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.

On June 17, 2025, he was hired as an assistant coach by the Seattle Kraken.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1988–89 London Knights OHL 62 7 16 23 52 15 0 2 2 15 1989–90 London Knights OHL 66 45 60 105 60 6 3 2 5 16 1990–91 London Knights OHL 65 50 78 128 50 7 4 8 12 6 1991–92 London Knights OHL 66 48 74 122 57 10 8 16 24 9 1992–93 Capital District Islanders AHL 77 19 43 62 32 4 0 1 1 2 1993–94 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 79 21 20 41 38 — — — — — 1994–95 New York Islanders NHL 10 0 3 3 2 — — — — — 1994–95 Denver Grizzlies IHL 78 38 48 86 47 14 7 6 13 10 1995–96 New York Islanders NHL 11 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 1995–96 Utah Grizzlies IHL 50 18 23 41 60 22 5 11 16 26 1996–97 New York Islanders NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1996–97 Utah Grizzlies IHL 71 27 40 67 24 7 1 2 3 0 1997–98 Utah Grizzlies IHL 79 28 56 84 66 4 0 2 2 6 1998–99 Providence Bruins AHL 21 6 11 17 6 — — — — — 1998–99 Boston Bruins NHL 37 3 5 8 12 — — — — — 1998–99 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 14 3 12 15 2 — — — — — 1999–00 Rochester Americans AHL 49 21 28 49 21 — — — — — 1999–00 Buffalo Sabres NHL 11 1 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2000–01 Rochester Americans AHL 45 20 24 44 25 — — — — — 2000–01 Buffalo Sabres NHL 14 0 2 2 6 — — — — — 2001–02 Rochester Americans AHL 77 21 45 66 66 2 0 1 1 0 2002–03 Rochester Americans AHL 61 12 55 67 44 3 3 1 4 2 2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 11 1 3 4 2 — — — — — 2003–04 Buffalo Sabres NHL 54 6 6 12 22 — — — — — 2003–04 Rochester Americans AHL 24 9 18 27 20 16 5 12 17 0 2004–05 Rochester Americans AHL 79 21 58 79 50 9 1 8 9 4 2005–06 Rochester Americans AHL 32 11 26 37 34 — — — — — 2006–07 Frankfurt Lions DEL 52 12 34 46 80 8 1 9 10 8 2007–08 Frankfurt Lions DEL 56 17 49 66 48 12 5 8 13 6 2008–09 Frankfurt Lions DEL 52 15 34 49 60 5 0 3 3 4 2009–10 Rochester Americans AHL 80 17 44 61 89 7 1 3 4 6 2010–11 Rochester Americans AHL 72 10 41 51 38 — — — — — NHL totals 149 11 21 32 48 2 0 0 0 2

Coaching record

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