Confirmed with Link: Devils to retain Fitz as GM, hire Ruff as coach

[ScottyK]

So, if Gallant and Laviolette didn't want the job, who else would've qualified as a "big splash".

As for IB's tweet, it could very well be that Lavi's asking price to come to a rebuilding team such as NJ is much higher than he'd accept elsewhere.

Again, Gallant and Laviolette are the clear 1A/1B head coaching options out there. They are 54/55 years old and have never won a Stanley Cup. Both financially set and can afford to wait for the best opportunity to open up. Why would they want to sign up to get in the middle of a rebuild in NJ when they can wait for spots to open up after the playoffs with teams that give them a better chance of winning in the next few years?

Wasn't lavs in Carolina when they won or was that Maurice?

 

[JrFischer54]

So ruff is 60 and the game has passed him by?

lav is 54 and that’s ok

gallant 55 that’s even better

grongberg is 52 with zero nhl coaching experience




Again what won’t you guys complain about lol.

 

[JimEIV]

Ruff is not what I was hoping for,..but I am much more interested in what Fitzgerald is going to do than who the coach is right now.

Did Fitzgerald hire Ruff? It sounds like it was a *team" hiring more than a GM hiring.

 

[HBK27]

Wasn't lavs in Carolina when they won or was that Maurice?

You're correct. My bad.

 

[JrFischer54]

I'm wondering the same. If this is all true, which I do believe Weekes, how does this work for the Rangers for this bubble tournament? Does he actually keep being an assistant coach the rest of the way for them? That doesn't seem like a normal thing to do.

if he’s hired then why would he stay on the Rangers? If he’s “hired” but everyone denies and don’t make it official until the offseason then he can still be on the Rangers.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

So, if Gallant and Laviolette didn't want the job, who else would've qualified as a "big splash".

As for IB's tweet, it could very well be that Lavi's asking price to come to a rebuilding team such as NJ is much higher than he'd accept elsewhere.

Again, Gallant and Laviolette are the clear 1A/1B head coaching options out there. They are 54/55 years old and have never won a Stanley Cup. Both financially set and can afford to wait for the best opportunity to open up. Why would they want to sign up to get in the middle of a rebuild in NJ when they can wait for spots to open up after the playoffs with teams that give them a better chance of winning in the next few years?

Lavy won the Cup in 2006.

 

[Pattysaurus]

Completely meh on Ruff.

 

[glenwo2]

ah! i get it now…….ruff was ass. coach for the panthers for 4 years in the mid-late 90's when fitz played there…..

So this was another case of "hiring your old mentor/buddy/coach" garbage again?

this just keeps getting "better", huh?

 

[Pitaya]

The reactions to this on places like twitter, reddit, etc.. are hilarious

People claiming the end of their fandom over a coach hiring

 

[JrFischer54]

Ruff is not what I was hoping for,..but I am much more interested in what Fitzgerald is going to do than who the coach is right now.

Did Fitzgerald hire Ruff? It sounds like it was a *team" hiring more than a GM hiring.

Everyone keeps saying it’s a team signing? Where did that come from? What makes people think that?


Btw of course the owners are going to have a say in the hiring of a head coach. I know if I’m an owner of a team I would be involved in the process. I wouldn’t make it a sole decision by myself but I would be apart of it

 

[Auto Pilot]

Well Fitzgerald deserves to be fired

 

[Auto Pilot]

The reactions to this on places like twitter, reddit, etc.. are hilarious

People claiming the end of their fandom over a coach hiring

the coaching hire is f***ing horrendous

 

[Zippy316]

Interesting point to this.

Before Ruff was HC of Buffalo he was the assistant in Florida. His stint there overlapped for at least a few years with Fitzgerald being there as a player.

So Fitzgerald should have a very good idea of what coach he is bringing in.

 

[Unknown Caller]

So, if Gallant and Laviolette didn't want the job, who else would've qualified as a "big splash".

As for IB's tweet, it could very well be that Lavi's asking price to come to a rebuilding team such as NJ is much higher than he'd accept elsewhere.

Again, Gallant and Laviolette are the clear 1A/1B head coaching options out there. They are 54/55 years old and have never won a Stanley Cup. Both financially set and can afford to wait for the best opportunity to open up. Why would they want to sign up to get in the middle of a rebuild in NJ when they can wait for spots to open up after the playoffs with teams that give them a better chance of winning in the next few years?

I have no idea why Boudreau wasn’t on the list. Between Gallant, Boudreau, Gronborg, Laviolette, Scott Stevens, etc., there were a lot of exciting names heading into the off season. Lindy Ruff is such a deflating hire. Instead of hoping the new coach transforms the team, I’m now hoping he just doesn’t completely suck.

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

The reactions to this on places like twitter, reddit, etc.. are hilarious

People claiming the end of their fandom over a coach hiring

Like I said before, if Ruff does not work out try and hire Gallant in 3 years when the team that hires him now fires him in 2.5 years.

 

[njdevils1982]

So this was another case of "hiring your old mentor/buddy/coach" garbage again?

this just keeps getting "better", huh?

i dont know if that was the case….i was 'just sayin' for a laugh

 

[johnny pierogi]

 

[Zippy316]

I have no idea why Boudreau wasn’t on the list. Between Gallant, Boudreau, Gronborg, Laviolette, Scott Stevens, etc., there were a lot of exciting names heading into the off season. Lindy Ruff is such a deflating hire. Instead of hoping the new coach transforms the team, I’m now hoping he just doesn’t completely suck.

Let’s wait to also see who he brings on as his assistants. Stevens as a defensive assistant will make me a lot happier about the coaching staff.

 

[Devilsgrl35]

Meh on Ruff but relieved Fitz is GM and that is more important. If Laviolette or Gallant didn't want the job and you want an experienced coach, I don't hate the Ruff hiring.

 

[glenwo2]

So, if Gallant and Laviolette didn't want the job, who else would've qualified as a "big splash".

If they didn't want the job, that would be one thing. But IB's tweet suggests they priced themselves(at least Lavi did) out of the running.

As for IB's tweet, it could very well be that Lavi's asking price to come to a rebuilding team such as NJ is much higher than he'd accept elsewhere.

And again I'm wondering just what was his asking price? Over 100 million dollars or something?

If I knew that was the amount(or close to it), then I can at least agree that the Owners had no choice but to look elsewhere.

Again, Gallant and Laviolette are the clear 1A/1B head coaching options out there. They are 54/55 years old and have never won a Stanley Cup. Both financially set and can afford to wait for the best opportunity to open up. Why would they want to sign up to get in the middle of a rebuild in NJ when they can wait for spots to open up after the playoffs with teams that give them a better chance of winning in the next few years?

EDIT - Forgot that Lavi won in '06 with Carolina. Still, after taking Nashville to the playoffs the past 5 seasons, and the Flyers to the playoffs 3 of the 4 seasons before that you can understand if he wants to go to a team that can compete now.

Bet you they're both waiting for the Bolts to fire Cooper so either of them can step all over each other to get that job.

 

[HBK27]

Terrible hire. Of course we hire the one veteran coach that didn’t look like he’d ever be a head coach in the NHL again...

the coaching hire is f***ing horrendous

Wow, who could've seen THIS coming - both Bleedred and Auto Pilot having a negative reaction to a move by the Devils. What are the odds?

 

[Goptor]

I'm gonna hold judgement until I see what they do with the assistant coaches.

If its a bunch of yes men like Nas, then I'll start complaining.
If its people like Stevens working in a collaborative way (as was mentioned earlier in the off season with regards to management) then I'm all for it. Ruff likely has the best people/player management skills out of the bunch.

 

[Triumph]

Interesting point to this.

Before Ruff was HC of Buffalo he was the assistant in Florida. His stint there overlapped for at least a few years with Fitzgerald being there as a player.

So Fitzgerald should have a very good idea of what coach he is bringing in.

Yeah, this I don't like. That was 25 years ago and Ruff was in his mid 30s at the time. I'd prefer no connection at all.

 

[JimEIV]

Everyone keeps saying it’s a team signing? Where did that come from? What makes people think that?


Btw of course the owners are going to have a say in the hiring of a head coach. I know if I’m an owner of a team I would be involved in the process. I wouldn’t make it a sole decision by myself but I would be apart of it

The fact that you found out the new coach and the new GM at the same time is at the very least suspect. If Fitzgerald was making decisions with it known he was getting the job why not announce it and allow him to introduce the new coach...the optics aren't very good in my opinion.

No the owners shouldn't be involved in hockey decisions, they don't know anything about hockey.

 

[glenwo2]

Wow, who could've seen THIS coming - both Bleedred and Auto Pilot having a negative reaction to a move by the Devils. What are the odds?

Except @Bleedred 's opinion carries more weight around here.

(as opposed to me...I just carry more weight, PERIOD. Must've been that pizza I ate)