Lindy Ruff has been fired

[Zman5778]

Few weeks ago I thought there was very little chance he'd be fired during the season. But after that last game I honestly felt like it might be coming soon. The team put two solid losing efforts together and then went back to utter crap again. It's been a disaster.

Exactly the way I felt.

I even said to a buddy of mine after that disaster 4 min to start Sunday's game that this might be the last of Lindy

 

[sabres4ever]

Few weeks ago I thought there was very little chance he'd be fired during the season. But after that last game I honestly felt like it might be coming soon. The team put two solid losing efforts together and then went back to utter crap again. It's been a disaster.

I thought for sure they would let him ride out the season. I didn't expect them to fire him unless there was some blowup between management and him.

Why not make Patrick interim? Does Rolston carry more weight than Patrick?

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

frackin aye.......

The message had gotten so stale. And so had the messenger.

 

[jamers]

One thing is for sure... I'm actually excited to watch the rest of the games this season. We're not making the playoffs, but it feels like the start of something now instead of the middle of forever.

 

[CrankyJay]

Quite the day...Lindy Ruff gets fired on the same day the Playstation 4 is unveiled.

 

[RazielMoshman]

Quite the day...Lindy Ruff gets fired on the same day the Playstation 4 is unveiled.

LOL exactly my thoughts. Nothing happens for ages now all this in one evening!

Mental oriental.

 

[RazielMoshman]

One thing is for sure... I'm actually excited to watch the rest of the games this season. We're not making the playoffs, but it feels like the start of something now instead of the middle of forever.

I liked Lindy but the Bleacher article on how the Sabres were 'Bad and boring to watch' really hit the nail on the head. As said I'm sure he'll do well but I'm glad his gone.

 

[RazielMoshman]

I thought for sure they would let him ride out the season. I didn't expect them to fire him unless there was some blowup between management and him.

Why not make Patrick interim? Does Rolston carry more weight than Patrick?

Probably felt it wouldn't be enough change. Doubt Adams or Patrick will be around for 13-14 season. Hopefully Numminen will be, I really like him.

 

[jBuds]

Do we have any player reaction yet?

 

[brian_griffin]

Was in mtg. from 5-6:45. Listened to GR audio vault for presser.

I'm liking my shutout prediction for Toronto game in Sabre Survivor.

No surprised reactions from me re: any of Darcy's comments at the presser, with the only exception that he suggested he doesn't know (specifics) what's wrong with the Sabres and what needs to be fixed. Even if he believes the effort is there (which he shouldn't), he should at least call out the effort, just so that the players don't go into a zombie shell for the next few weeks.

Darcy appropriately and correctly (from management training 101) acknowledged that the responsibility for this season's under-performance lies with him, the players, and all the staff / scouts.

 

[Sabretip]

Interesting - and, hopefully, soon to be true - analysis from LeBrun:

I’m not saying the Sabres were wrong to fire Ruff. The message can indeed get stale after more than 15 years, and this Sabres squad looked listless.

But let’s not pretend this is a cure-all answer to Buffalo’s woes. Some of this has to fall on GM Darcy Regier, as well. His blue-line corps, for my money, is overrated, I might even say soft. The Sabres aren’t good enough down the middle, although Cody Hodgson is showing signs he’ll be a good one. And overall, there’s not enough character and leadership on that team.

If the Sabres miss the playoffs, I’m guessing owner Terry Pegula will also make a change at GM as well despite handing Regier an extension before the season.

Regier and Ruff have always talked about being a package deal. They’ve done some great work together in Buffalo. I’m not quite sure why they didn’t leave together

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/22226/firing-likely-not-surprising-to-lindy-ruff

More from TSN on how the news was given to Ruff:

General manager Darcy Regier called the team's lethargic performance during the loss to the Jets as "a tipping point." And he added that discussions to fire Ruff had begun earlier in the day.

Regier went to Ruff's home to inform the coach of the decision. He then allowed Ruff to visit with players as they boarded a bus to travel to Toronto.

Rolston was scheduled to arrive in Buffalo on Wednesday evening and then join Regier in travelling to Toronto for his first meeting with the team. Regier said he'll use the remainder of the season to determine whether Rolston deserves taking over the job on a full-time basis.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=416441

 

[CrankyJay]

Heh, I have a nervous feeling about all of this all of a sudden.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I feel good, like I knew I would.......

Hey, this should mean we are no longer tied to "The System"!

I do feel some sympathy for Lindy being fired but from an on-the-ice hockey perspective - x's and o's - I am way more excited!

Not expecting any immediate miracles mind you. But I am expecting that the team's personality and character get totally rebuilt over the next 1 -2 seasons.

 

[Sabretip]

And under the "Take it with a grain of salt" heading:

One veteran player who has played for at least one other team in his NHL career told our Paul Hamilton that Ruff was the harshest coach he had ever experienced. So the signs were there. Rather than act on them over the summer, the Sabres engaged in meetings with certain players in an effort to improve communication and perhaps not have players who have been with Ruff for so many years be so fatigued by his methods

The rest of the opinion is filled out by some information from a few well placed sources telling me that certain veteran players on the team had reached a breaking point with Ruff.

http://www.wgr550.com/Bulldog--So-where-were-you-when-you-heard-that-the/15581460

We've all read about the Vanek-Ruff relationship soap opera - I'll be curious on how Ruff's dismissal influences Vanek's play moving forward. Will he feel more free to create offense and less accountable to defensive duties? Will the others?

 

[Sabretip]

What's the consensus guess on number of games Regier gives Rolston's hiring to have an impact before making a big trade?

 

[Fire Lindy]

I think Vanek is probably the most relieved player in the locker room, always just got the feeling that he didn't like Lindy..also I believe Hamilton said players commented to him that Ruff was way tougher on Vanek than anyone else.

 

[Deevo]

Aaron Ward on TSN: "Saying that Ryan Miller is under performing is being kind.. He has been AWFUL."

How does this guy have a job on such a huge network?

 

[Paxon]

I thought for sure they would let him ride out the season. I didn't expect them to fire him unless there was some blowup between management and him.

Why not make Patrick interim? Does Rolston carry more weight than Patrick?

Does James have any head coaching experience? I don't think he does. Rolston has a good amount of head coaching experience, though no NHL experience of any sort (as far as I recall). My feeling ultimately is that I don't care one way or another, but Patrick has been Ruff's right hand man and it's probably wise to go with a guy who is the least attached to this system and who might have a future as an NHL head coach.

 

[Paxon]

Aaron Ward on TSN: "Saying that Ryan Miller is under performing is being kind.. He has been AWFUL."

How does this guy have a job on such a huge network?

Reading the numbers I guess. Miller's only had a couple games where he wasn't at least good, in my opinion. He's been brilliant in many.

 

[Fire Lindy]

Aaron Ward on TSN: "Saying that Ryan Miller is under performing is being kind.. He has been AWFUL."

How does this guy have a job on such a huge network?

Most of these "analysts" don't even watch most of the teams that they comment on, so he likely just looked at his GAA and came up with that.

 

[Woodhouse]

Do we have any player reaction yet?

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris
Pominville: "I never thought this day would come."

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Thomas Vanek on Ruff "We didn't produce the wins that lost him his job. Very hard day. But he's the top free agent out there"

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Vanek on Ruff "Lindy is the only coach I've had. We had our ups and downs but had a good relationship. Both wanted to win"

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris
Ryan Miller says the #Sabres have lost their "edge" and thinks the change might help. "You've got to try something, right?"

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Ryan Miller on Ruff "Lindy has always been an influence who has believed in us. We feel bad that this is how it played out for him"

***

Mike Grier: Lindy Ruff firing analysis.

 

[brian_griffin]

And under the "Take it with a grain of salt" heading:





http://www.wgr550.com/Bulldog--So-where-were-you-when-you-heard-that-the/15581460

We've all read about the Vanek-Ruff relationship soap opera - I'll be curious on how Ruff's dismissal influences Vanek's play moving forward. Will he feel more free to create offense and less accountable to defensive duties? Will the others?

Veteran player, with other team experience:
Regehr, Erhoff, Ott, Leopold, Sulzer, McCormick, Scott.
I discount Hecht as a disgruntled source.

Tip, I always appreciate your insights and style (multiple posts / quotes to build a point), but I don't want this squad becoming more freelance on offense until they learn to clear the d-zone effectively, puck support each other, back check on D, not leave the zone early, come back to assist the D on breakout passes, etc. Let's not get started on the forecheck, dump-ins and puck pursuit, etc., You can give this squad all the freedom they want to "create offense", but they need the damn puck (better puck possession) in order to do that.

 

[CrankyJay]

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris
Pominville: "I never thought this day would come."

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Thomas Vanek on Ruff "We didn't produce the wins that lost him his job. Very hard day. But he's the top free agent out there"

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Vanek on Ruff "Lindy is the only coach I've had. We had our ups and downs but had a good relationship. Both wanted to win"

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris
Ryan Miller says the #Sabres have lost their "edge" and thinks the change might help. "You've got to try something, right?"

Jeff Russo ‏@JeffRussoWKBW
#Sabres Ryan Miller on Ruff "Lindy has always been an influence who has believed in us. We feel bad that this is how it played out for him"

***

Mike Grier: Lindy Ruff firing analysis.

Probably reading into this a bit much but I think Ryan is AOK with this.

 

[CrankyJay]

Veteran player, with other team experience:
Regehr, Erhoff, Ott, Leopold, Sulzer, McCormick, Scott.
I discount Hecht as a disgruntled source.

Tip, I always appreciate your insights and style (multiple posts / quotes to build a point), but I don't want this squad becoming more freelance on offense until they learn to clear the d-zone effectively, puck support each other, back check on D, not leave the zone early, come back to assist the D on breakout passes, etc. Let's not get started on the forecheck, dump-ins and puck pursuit, etc., You can give this squad all the freedom they want to "create offense", but they need the damn puck (better puck possession) in order to do that.

The sad thing is we supposedly had a defensive coach...it boggles my mind the Sabres are so inept on D this year.

 

[vcv]

Probably reading into this a bit much but I think Ryan is AOK with this.

I think the more interesting quote is from Pominville. Is that all he had to say?