Lindy Ruff Appreciation Thread

[Lou is God]

Many of us doubted him, it might be proved we all did at one point or time.

But tonight he didn't panic from the Game 6 loss - he stuck with the right goalie and he made the right adjustments in the lineup keeping who we needed and who needed to prove something.

I tip my hat to you Lindy. Thank you.

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[Captain3rdLine]

Still pissed me off with some of his decisions but can’t argue against the results. Eventually put his trust in the right goalie when it mattered

 

[Bleedred]

I was turning against him after the game 2 switcharoo in game plan/strategy/design, but he did away with it after that and we got back to playing 2022-2023 Devils hockey in games 3-7.

 

[Emperoreddy]

A Fitz appreciation thread would have been safer, but I respect the moxy.

Plus as much as I love to shit on Ruff, end of day here we are in Round 2 way ahead of schedule.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

A Fitz appreciation thread would have been safer, but I respect the moxy.

Plus as much as I love to shit on Ruff, end of day here we are in Round 2 way ahead of schedule.

The amount of things Fitz has done that look so good is amazing. Even the Palat signing that a lot of people didn’t like looks really good at the moment with Palat doing exactly what he was brought into do. But then also guys like Marino, Siegenthaler, Hamilton, and Haula.

 

[crashline]

 

[Incharge1976]

Many of us doubted him, it might be proved we all did at one point or time.

But tonight he didn't panic from the Game 6 loss - he stuck with the right goalie and he made the right adjustments in the lineup keeping who we needed and who needed to prove something.

I tip my hat to you Lindy. Thank you.

The best thing about this win other than beating the Rangers is reading all the smug Rangers fans on the other board we both know. I feast in their sorrow.

 

[NJDevs26]

Just this alone is worthy of a thread

 

[Bleedred]

One thing I gotta say about Ruff. He’s always been very classy, even when questioned. He won me over a bit after they asked him about the chants on opening night. Not that I expected any coach to ever say “f*** those people man!” But he went out of his way to stress the fans want W’s and he doesn’t blame them and the fanbase is used to winning and wants to get back to that.

And he has fun with the media. Jokingly telling them that their starting goalie questions put him in a bad mood and he’s on blood pressure meds anyway lol.

He’s been a head coach for a long time and is still seeking his first cup and I think everyone wants to get one for him.

 

[Devs3cups]

One thing I gotta say about Ruff. He’s always been very classy, even when questioned. He won me over a bit after they asked him about the chants on opening night. Not that I expected any coach to ever say “f*** those people man!” But he went out of his way to stress the fans want W’s and he doesn’t blame them and the fanbase is used to winning and wants to get back to that.

And he has fun with the media. Jokingly telling them that their starting goalie questions put him in a bad mood and he’s on blood pressure meds anyway lol.

He’s been a head coach for a long time and is still seeking his first cup and I think everyone wants to get one for him.

Yup, this has also stuck with me. That was a great response. Even after the "Sorry Lindy" chants, he said something like "I'm sure the fans and I will laugh about it over a beer" or something. Classy guy.

I wasn't happy with him after Game 2, but he did some really nice adjustments and they paid off, so I tip my cap.

Being a coach is a cruel job.

 

[bossram]

Many of us doubted him, it might be proved we all did at one point or time.

But tonight he didn't panic from the Game 6 loss - he stuck with the right goalie and he made the right adjustments in the lineup keeping who we needed and who needed to prove something.

I tip my hat to you Lindy. Thank you.

Naaaaah not really giving him credit here.

This wouldn't have been a close series, if not for Lindy's ridiculously bad series pre-series prep and even more pathetic G2 "adjustments".

He handed the Rangers a 2-0 lead. You don't get props for that.

 

[Lou is God]

Naaaaah not really giving him credit here.

This wouldn't have been a close series, if not for Lindy's ridiculously bad series pre-series prep and even mHe ore pathetic G2 "adjustments".

He handed the Rangers a 2-0 lead. You don't get props for that.

You got to be f***ing kidding me with this take......Ruff has his flaws and makes his mistakes, like every other NHL coach.

But he coached the best team record wise in Devils history and took out our top nemesis in Game 7.

He's also done a super fantastic job in the development of our top young guns - like he was brought in to do.

Refusing to give Ruff any props after a night like tonight is petty and just dumb.

 

[Marv4Life]

Man I called for this guy to be canned last year and even after Game 2. Glad to eat crow. He made the necessary adjustments and he deserves credit. Also his 1st elimination game win. Gonna be a tough test in round 2 so let's find out if he can keep it up.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Season started off in what looked like to be another disaster of a season like we have experienced so much over the years. Ruff stood there and took it like a professional cause he understood our frustration and in the end we all want the same thing for this team, to win.

This wonderful human being then got us our first playoff series win since 2012 against our arch rivals after being down 0-2 in the series and our first ever game 7 win against them.

Sure there have been ups and downs and disagreements and doubts and questions. I don't give a shit, man has absolutely earned my respect.

I would absolutely love to buy Lindy a beer.

 

[Lou is God]

The best thing about this win other than beating the Rangers is reading all the smug Rangers fans on the other board we both know. I feast in their sorrow.

Lol, yup!

 

[Comparison Ford]

you can see how much the rangers players love him by the handshake line. mika kreider and lindgren all took a second with lindy.

im so happy he’s on our side. also that postgame where he says “it’s amazing to hear what jack says sometimes” (or something along those lines)

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Gotta give credit to our assistant coaches as well. We had a good powerplay and were one of the best penalty killing teams. We were a top 5 shots against team and top 8 in goals against average. We were a solid team in the regular season and it carried over to the playoffs.

 

[Nubmer6]

I've always strongly believed that the head coach should be the motivator and the assistants be the X's and O's people. It seems we've struck that balance with the current staff.

 

[bossram]

You got to be f***ing kidding me with this take......Ruff has his flaws and makes his mistakes, like every other NHL coach.

But he coached the best team record wise in Devils history and took out our top nemesis in Game 7.

He's also done a super fantastic job in the development of our top young guns - like he was brought in to do.

Refusing to give Ruff any props after a night like tonight is petty and just dumb.

It's not petty. Ruff's pre-series prep directly cost the Devils the opening two games. They are a materially better team and should not have performed like that.

He went away from what made them successful all season. Tried to play a "playoff" style and run around chasing hits which isn't what the Devils, as constructed, are built to do. The Rangers PP ran the same set plays everyone has seen before, yet the PK was somehow unaware at the beginning of the series. And the game 2 adjustments were beyond stupid. This is all purely on coaching and is frankly inexcusable from an NHL coach who's been around as long as he has.

You don't get credit for rectifying mistakes that were very easily avoidable. Sorry.

The only decision I'll give Ruff credit for is going to and sticking with Schmid. That was a tough decision, but clearly paid off.

 

[Lou is God]

It's not petty. Ruff's pre-series prep directly cost the Devils the opening two games. They are a materially better team and should not have performed like that.

He went away from what made them successful all season. Tried to play a "playoff" style and run around chasing hits which isn't what the Devils, as constructed, are built to do. The Rangers PP ran the same set plays everyone has seen before, yet the PK was somehow unaware at the beginning of the series. And the game 2 adjustments were beyond stupid. This is all purely on coaching and is frankly inexcusable from an NHL coach who's been around as long as he has.

You don't get credit for rectifying mistakes that were very easily avoidable. Sorry.

The only decision I'll give Ruff credit for is going to and sticking with Schmid. That was a tough decision, but clearly paid off.

Holy shit.......lol......you do you!

 

[Bleedred]

Gotta give credit to our assistant coaches as well. We had a good powerplay and were one of the best penalty killing teams. We were a top 5 shots against team and top 8 in goals against average. We were a solid team in the regular season and it carried over to the playoffs.

I’d like to see this entire coaching staff back if at all possible.

In 11-12 we had DeBoer, Robinson and Oates and that was the lone year of that staff. Robinson took a job in San Jose to be closer to family and Oates got the Capitals head coaching job.

I don’t think McGill, Sarge or Taylor are going anywhere, but I’m a little uneasy about losing Brunette potentially, especially with three head coaching spots currently open. And the longer those spots go unfilled, the more nervous I’ll get that some of them are waiting till our season ends to get an interview with Brunette.

Washington hasn’t went with little experienced coaches under the current regime, other than their own guys in Rierden (was an assistant under Trotz before getting promoted) and Bruce Boudreau, who was their AHL head coach and that was under McPhee. The two outside hires from MacLellan have been big, experienced names in Trotz and Laviolette.

Columbus and Calgary could be eyeing him as a candidate and maybe Washington is too.

And if Gallant goes, then maybe he’s on their radar? I’m not convinced Gallant is going just yet, but the Rangers (outside of the “rebuild years”) haven’t hired a head coach with as little experience as Brunette while competing/trying to compete in over 20 years with the short lived Trottier experiment. Ever since then they’ve always went with a big and very established and experienced name like Renney, Torts, AV and now Gallant. They only brought in Quinn for the rebuild or retool or whatever.

But I could see them taking him from us as an attempt to potentially weaken us/take our heir apparent, but only if they really like him. They’re not gonna hire him just to spite us. Lavi seems like a potential Rangers retread hire if they do make a change, but he may be getting to the point where he’s AV’ing/Julien’ing out of the league. If not just for a couple of years, before making a comeback after 2 or potentially 3 years.

 

[Clam Jensen]

He made adjustments and Gallant didn’t. The team clearly cares about Lindy and fully supports him, so it’s a pleasure to see it all come together in an EPIC beat down.

 

[forceten]

Just this alone is worthy of a thread

He's so right. I poured myself a can of lovely Broomtail (Wilmington, NC) Acerbic Ecstasy IPA and didn't finish it until we won. Too tense to even think about it. And my taps (my beers) were in the outside garage so too far.

We do have incredible beer in North Carolina, but Raleigh is probably the 4th best city for breweries after Asheville, Charlotte, and Wilmington (not in that order necessarily).

 

[Cheddabombs]

I appreciate you Lindy!!!!!

 

[JrFischer54]

it was the right call putting wood back into the lineup the guy has been with us through the shit years only fair to give him a crack at game 7. he didn't disappoint and had some good moments i will admit adding shara was definitely the right move too even though he didn't score he had way more chances then i remember boqvist having so i would keep game 7 lineup intact for this round. schmid was a no brainer for game 7 i dont think it was even remotely a question