As front-office moves go, it’s not as if Joe Battista leaving the Sabres’ organization was some bombshell. Battista was vice president of hockey related business, a fancy title that failed to describe what many viewed as limited responsibilities. In other words, he’s Terry Pegula’s friend.
Battista submitted his two-week notice Monday, but the plan had been in the works for months. He wanted to be near his family back in Pennsylvania. He’s starting a leadership and sports performance consulting business after spending 26 years working for Penn State in various capacities. He’s also writing a book.
If you remember, Battista coached club hockey at Penn State and helped convince Pegula to start a Division I hockey program in Happy Valley.