the rochester americans are an american professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1956. they currently play in the american hockey league and are the farm team of the buffalo sabres of the nhl. they play their home games in rochester, new york at the blue cross arena at the war memorial. their echl affiliate team is the cincinnati cyclones. the team is sometimes called the "amerks" for short. the team has won 6 calder cups.