Confirmed with Link: Lindy Ruff hired as head coach of NJD

[FireGerardGallant]

This is the best news ever

 

[Edge]

So what happens if the defense doesn't get better with Ruff gone?

We’ll find another person to pin the weight of the problem on, we always do.

 

[Thirty One]

We’ll find another person to pin the weight of the problem on, we always do.

This.

 

[Tob]

 

[Thirty One]

So does he finish the season? Gotta think yes, right?

 

[Tob]

We’ll find another person to pin the weight of the problem on, we always do.

"Fox and ADA were the product of Ruff's defensive coaching"

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

"Fox and ADA were the product of Ruff's defensive coaching"

This has already been spouted by a few here so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make a comeback

 

[Irishguy42]

So does he finish the season? Gotta think yes, right?

Probably. His contract was up after this season was done, so he was already shopping for next year.

Devils are going to make a formal announcement tomorrow.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Apparently the Devils cheaped out with Laviolette

Went with the less expensive option lol

 

[Kovalev27]

Happy for the Rangers and for Ruff. Totally bizarre though that this is getting reported before the Rangers' season is completed.

Right? Ive never seen anything like this in the NHL

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

 

[cwede]

Apparently the Devils cheaped out with Laviolette. Went with the less expensive option lol

...maybe
Ruff was top candidate all along, prior relationship w Fitzgerald

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

 

[Tob]

...maybe
Ruff was top candidate all along, prior relationship w Fitzgerald

Ruff was hired 3 years ago because of a prior relationship with Arniel. Lindy's got the platinum card to the Old Boys Club.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

This is the best hockey news I’ve seen in months

Apparently the Devils cheaped out with Laviolette

Went with the less expensive option lol

Can’t say I’m shocked, they’re a team that doesn’t really bring in a lot of people when people are actually allowed to go to games

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

MUUUAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Kovalev27]

I’ll guarantee you one thing for certain. No one happier about this than David Quinn. You know Old boys club Lindy was forced on him. Now he can work with someone that knows what they’re doing.

 

[nyr2k2]

The Devils have been looking for a coach since they fired Hynes in December. They probably asked the Rangers for permission to talk to Ruff some time after the freeze. First, I don't think the Rangers would have turned down the Devils' request even under normal circumstances, given Ruff is a respected, veteran coach who obviously wanted to get back to being top dog. Second, given that no one really knew if the season would resume, it would have been really unfortunate if the Rangers declined to let Ruff talk to the Devils until the season was over, only for the Devils to hire someone else and then for the league to cancel the remainder of the season.

Whether Ruff finishes it out, I don't know. I can see why the Rangers would want to keep him on with the playoffs going on and all, but if they have someone they think could step in (or if they think it would be manageable without another AC stepping in), they may feel it's better to just let him out of his contract. It's tough to expect a guy who has accepted a new job to be fully focused on the matter at hand when he has one foot out the door.

 

[nyr2k2]

Also, regarding Ruff and the Devils. I think Ruff's performance will be solely dictated by the strength of the roster he is given. If the Debs manage to assemble a really good roster, Ruff will do well with them. If their roster is mediocre, Ruff will have a very unremarkable tenure. And if they continue to trot out horseshit, Ruff will struggle.

I have never viewed Ruff as a guy who would coax his team into overachieving. At the same time, I don't remember any of his teams being huge disappointments. He is just...fine. He's basically a replacement-level coach.

 

[Kords]

Wonder if we would be able to throw a bag of money at Gallant to take over AC duties for this potential playoff run. Probably a bit too late in the game to try to reinvent the D structure, but he could provide good input in other areas with his experience.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Hes being hired for the offense and transition game, which the Devils are built around

Crazy to say but the Devils of the future will be a far cry of the Devils from the past. High octane offense with a lot of transitional speed vs defensive grinders who hold teams in their zones for hours

Lol

 

[Kovalev27]

I’ve never seen ever in the NHL a guy coaching one team while having been formally announced as the new head coach for another. Never. Actually in no sport have I seen a formal announcement during the season. So he can’t come back If NJ makes it official tomorrow

 

[Irishguy42]

We’ll find another person to pin the weight of the problem on, we always do.

Greg Brown is already the scapegoat.

"He only has one season of NHL experience! Of course he's not good!"

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I’ve never seen ever in the NHL a guy coaching one team while having been formally announced as the new head coach for another. Never. Actually in no sport have I seen a formal announcement during the season. So he can’t come back If NJ makes it official tomorrow

My assumption here is because of the circumstance with the schedule, this is happening

If the Rangers were to make a deep run in the playoffs, presumably Ruff wouldn’t have much time to prepare with the Devils for next season

I’d also assume the Rangers are fine with it because Greg Brown has been the coaching the defense with Ruff so it’s not the end of the world