Lindy Ruff has made a comeback to Buffalo after more than a decade, stepping back into the role of coaching the Sabres. His departure from the team, where he was the most successful coach, occurred 11 years ago. During his time away, he coached for Dallas and New Jersey.
The Sabres, enduring a playoff drought of 13 seasons, are placing their hopes on Ruff to spark a turnaround. He takes over from Don Granato, who was relieved of his duties after coaching for more than three seasons.
Ruff’s connection with Buffalo runs deep, having previously played as a defenseman and served as captain before his lengthy coaching tenure of over 14 seasons. The last time the Sabres made the playoffs under his leadership was in 2011, where they were eliminated in the first round by Philadelphia in a seven-game series.
His return evokes memories of his past efforts to revitalize the team before his departure. Since then, Buffalo’s struggles have intensified. They’ve endured the NHL’s worst record on four occasions during this period, with seven different coaches and four general managers cycling through. The Sabres have undergone multiple rebuilding phases and concluded the previous season with the NHL’s youngest roster.
Sabres GM Kevyn Adams clarified, “I want to be clear though that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him.” Despite Adams’ statement, it’s challenging to ignore the significance of Ruff’s past ties to Buffalo in this decision. Given that Granato was fired less than a week ago, it raises questions about the extent of Adams’ search for a new coach.
"I think I've probably watched Lindy coach about as many games as I've played."
Alex Tuch last week during #Sabres locker room cleanout when asked about the chance of Lindy Ruff becoming the next HC@WKBW pic.twitter.com/vfCUgMDwjt
— Dom Tibbetts (@DomTibbettsTV) April 22, 2024
“This is a team ready to take the next step,” Ruff said in the team-released statement. “I am both humbled and honored to be trusted to help this team win now.”
Was it the right decision initially?
Can Ruff guide Buffalo’s transition from a young rebuilding team to a serious contender? While doubts may arise when examining his recent coaching performance, Ruff also possesses a reputation that could benefit the team. His struggles with the Devils can be attributed to allowing them to play too freely, particularly evident in their reliance on rush opportunities. Although injuries hampered the Devils’ defensive capabilities, Ruff’s coaching approach also granted excessive freedom to their young forwards. While New Jersey excelled as a rush team, their effectiveness waned in the playoffs, emphasizing the importance of defensive solidity. As Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald noted, to achieve success, strong defensive play is crucial. Additionally, Flyers GM and former player under Ruff, Danny Briere, highlighted Ruff’s adaptability as one of his key strengths, emphasizing his ability to work effectively with the roster he’s given rather than imposing a rigid style.
The Sabres concluded the season ranking 11th in the NHL for goals against per game, allowing an average of 2.96 goals, but their offensive performance struggled, managing just 2.98 goals-for per game. Ruff previously found success with the Sabres by employing a defensive-focused system during Dominik Hasek’s prime. During the four years Ruff coached alongside Hasek, the Sabres boasted the second-lowest goals against per game in the NHL. However, Ruff also demonstrated offensive prowess with Dallas, where the team ranked second in goals-for per game during his tenure.
With younger goaltending currently in place, Ruff now has the opportunity to maximize the potential of forwards like Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner, while utilizing players like Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Bowen Byram to drive play from the back end in a more structured manner. The Sabres players have expressed a desire for a coach who can hold them accountable, a role that Ruff is well-equipped to fulfill based on snippets from the locker room.
