Confirmed with Link: Lindy Ruff named Head Coach, Press Conference at 1:00 PM EDT

[Dreakon13]

The optics on this, Granato being fired like a week ago and the NHL playoffs barely having even started, is they're scrambling for the feel good story of Lindy coming home to salvage a few season ticket sales and make lemonade out of possibly the most disappointing season of the drought.

That being said, regardless of their intentions, it worked on me because I'm already getting excited for next season. The optics don't change the fact that Lindy is a great coach... and as much as any experienced coach available, the right fit for this group. As others have said, if his resume had any name besides the Sabres on it, even the naysayers would be ecstatic.

Also, holy crap, if Ace is the most optimistic one in the room, there's gotta be something to it...

 

[TageGod]

Right type of coach, don't think it was the best option. At least it is pedigree. My wife ran and put her slug jersey on (Gross) with the news.

 

[Krieger Bot]

The mood here would be ecstatic if Lindy had coached 15 years somewhere other than Buffalo. People are losing their shit over the silliest thing. He’s the best fit in every way.

The same people asking for certain qualities in a coach are now mad they got one that has them all…either because he worked here before so they think it’s a stunt…or because they didn’t take longer to hire him.

This is where I'm at. Imagine that head coach Joe Smith just came available. He has decades of experience, and is top 5 all time in wins. Hiring him brings instant credibility back to a franchise that sorely needs it.

He also appears to still be an effective coach. He just had a lot of success with a young, offensively minded team that resembles the Sabres in a lot of ways. Sure, his tenure there wasn't without its warts - what coach doesn't have a few? But on the whole, he had a lot of success. He was just done in by bad goaltending.

What's more, the owner respects the hell out of him. This could be a real boon for the team. There have been rumblings for a while now that the owner is too much of a fan and too involved. Coach Smith should be able to curb that.

Wouldn't we sprint to hire this mythical coach Smith?

Don't get me wrong, Lindy isn't perfect. But again, no coach is. And on the whole, he's a good hire here.

 

[MOGlLNY]

The optics on this, Granato being fired like a week ago and the NHL playoffs barely having even started, is they're scrambling for the feel good story of Lindy coming home to salvage a few season ticket sales and make lemonade out of possibly the most disappointing season of the drought.

That being said, regardless of their intentions, it worked on me because I'm already getting excited for next season. The optics don't change the fact that Lindy is a great coach... and as much as any experienced coach available, the right fit for this group. As others have said, if his resume had any name besides the Sabres on it, even the naysayers would be ecstatic.

Also, holy crap, if Ace is the most optimistic one in the room, there's gotta be something to it...

Doak AND Ace

 

[Cirris]

So, Lindy's Back.

That must mean we're going goathead full time next year, book it.

 

[Dubi Doo]

This is where I'm at. Imagine that head coach Joe Smith just came available. He has decades of experience, and is top 5 all time in wins. Hiring him brings instant credibility back to a franchise that sorely needs it.

He also appears to still be an effective coach. He just had a lot of success with a young, offensively minded team that resembles the Sabres in a lot of ways. Sure, his tenure there wasn't without its warts - what coach doesn't have a few? But on the whole, he had a lot of success. He was just done in by bad goaltending.

What's more, the owner respects the hell out of him. This could be a real boon for the team. There have been rumblings for a while now that the owner is too much of a fan and too involved. Coach Smith should be able to curb that.

Wouldn't we sprint to hire this mythical coach Smith?

Don't get me wrong, Lindy isn't perfect. But again, no coach is. And on the whole, he's a good hire here.

New Jersey also dealt with big injuries to their top tier players this season. My buddy is big Devils fan, and he's blamed the disappointing season on injuries and terrible goaltending.

 

[Dubi Doo]

And this year? And the one before that? Currently- was he recently fired for incompetence? Are there any postseason successes to hope for? Blind yourself with optimism if you like, this is an atrocious hire.

Nah. That's hyperbole. He wasn't my first option, but he's solid enough. He's coached some good teams. The lack of playoff success is a legit concern, though.

 

[BloFan4Life]

The problem with the Sabres is beyond x and o's. You need someone who can't take the ineptitude of some of these players on this team and won't let it just happen. Lindy is a renter that has ownership pride of the house.

 

[Chainshot]

Playoff success? Let's see them get there first. This is like people being down on Boudreau a few years ago because of his record in Game Sevens. Just get there first.

 

[Jim Bob]

After sleeping on it and listening to a couple of pods this morning, here is how I am feeling:

On the process that got them to hiring Ruff: With the way Adams talked in the press conference after Granato was let go, the Venn Diagram that I looked at had three circles of veteran NHL head coach, available (given Adams saying he wanted a hire to happen quickly), and prior experience working with Kevyn Adams (connections matter, especially with Adams who likes to be collaborative with his head coach). The overlap on that Venn diagram was Lindy and.... And if you want to say, "Why didn't he wait to see about RBA?", I am assuming that Adams shot a text to Rod, asked if EF's report that it was basically a done deal that he was staying was accurate, and RBA told him he was staying in Carolina. So, I am not shocked at the process and that this came so quickly. And Craig Berube is one Jordan Binnington hot streak away from being a guy that few would want here.

On Lindy being back as the head coach: My initial response is that they got a veteran coach who bleeds Blue & Gold. That has me optimistic just from the standpoint that he has experience as a player and a coach representing the Sabres. And I am sure that the petty stuff about the noise and stuff from the outside and the frustration due to the drought will not be tolerated by Ruff. Plus, the underlying numbers that Ruff's teams in Dallas and NJ were solid. And when he has gotten near league average Save% goaltending, his teams make the playoffs. This year in NJ it was about key injuries to Hamilton, Jack Hughes, and others, and putrid goaltending.

Overall, I am good with the hire and excited for all the Eminem "Without Me" and the Cody Rhodes "Finish the story" stuff.

 

[Bones Malone]

It's all becoming clearer now. Terry needs to move some PSL's

 

[OkimLom]

Did someone hack @Ace account?

Every post in this thread was positive, very factual with little emotion, and basically spot on.

Seriously, I’ve called you out before for stuff I didn’t agree with, so I’ve got to be fair. I’ve enjoyed reading every post you’ve written in this thread. Well done!

That Adams presser did a number on @Ace. He’s been more positive since.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[truthbluth]

I think a lot of things can be true at one time.

This can be Terry influenced, with a big marketing upside, and still improve the hockey team. We can be annoyed that Terry keeps on Terrying and like having Lindy back in Buffalo.

As I said, you can't be convinced. IDFC. There were exactly 2 plausible hires (excluding the RBD fantasy), that I thought were arguably better choices than Lindy, and one would have required a roster overhaul (Berube), and the other is mostly known for losing the locker room and not devolping young players (Gallant). Lindy just came from a place with a similar roster construction, lots of young players, where injuries and goaltending got him fired. We have goaltending. If Ras misses half a season, we probably couldn't make the playoffs with any coach.

I don't know why I'm talking to the f***ing wall.

 

[Jim Bob]

Fairburn brought up an interesting point if anyone is arguing Gallant over Ruff: Ruff's young NJ team beat Gallant and the Rangers in the 2023 playoffs.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Hey, so- I quit. I can’t be a Sabres fan anymore. Sorry y’all, you’re great, but Pegula makes the worst f***ing decisions and there is no hope.

Dude has failed outta the league 2.5 times, how is that our hire? Never won shit, just crashed for the second time with the devils, a team very similar to ours-

Nah, f*** it, I’m not analyzing this shit only to find it was the cheapest option- I’m done. Peace. If I was wrong, rub it in my face.

But dude, I’m finding a squad that doesn’t shoot itself in the foot first step outta the hospital.



Because ruff is a failure of a coach. I don’t care how elaborate your plans to buy a Ford Pinto, it’s a dumb idea.

we’ll miss ya, and welcome you back if you change your mind! They will be good again (eventually)

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Archie Lee]

The mood here would be ecstatic if Lindy had coached 15 years somewhere other than Buffalo. People are losing their shit over the silliest thing. He’s the best fit in every way.

The same people asking for certain qualities in a coach are now mad they got one that has them all…either because he worked here before so they think it’s a stunt…or because they didn’t take longer to hire him.

I’m at best “ok” with Ruff coming back. I thought last night about the very thing you wrote above. Would I be more excited if we were bringing in someone with Ruff’s track record but it occurred elsewhere? Maybe. The one thing that would be different, is it would mean we did an actual search for a new head coach. There will be a narrative today that such a search occurred and Ruff rose to the top of the candidates. I don’t buy it.

I will get excited about next year when I see what Adams does with the roster. Will we act like an NHL team that expects to make the playoffs?If we decide again to sit on the league’s best prospect pool and to not spend to at least close to the cap, then we are only pretending to be serious about this.

 

[Jim Bob]

Guess who's back, back again?
Lindy's back, tell a friend
Guess who's back? Guess who's back?
Guess who's back? Guess who's back?
Guess who's back? Guess who's back?
Guess who's back?
(Da-da-da, da, da, da, da, da, da)
(Da-da-da, da, da, da, da)

This is stuck in my head.

I’m at best “ok” with Ruff coming back. I thought last night about the very thing you wrote above. Would I be more excited if we were bringing in someone with Ruff’s track record but it occurred elsewhere? Maybe. The one thing that would be different, is it would mean we did an actual search for a new head coach. There will be a narrative today that such a search occurred and Ruff rose to the top of the candidates. I don’t buy it.

I will get excited about next year when I see what Adams does with the roster. Will we act like an NHL team that expects to make the playoffs?If we decide again to sit on the league’s best prospect pool and to not spend to at least close to the cap, then we are only pretending to be serious about this.

They did long drawn out searches when they did their last two hires. And that got them Ralph and keeping Granato after his run as the interim head coach.

The only thing that matters is how well does the hire work out. There will be no complaints about the process if Ruff comes in and gets them into the playoffs in 2024-25.

 

[Jim Bob]

Sabres name Lindy Ruff as head coach

The Sabres have not made the playoffs since Ruff was fired in 2013.

theathletic.com

“I am thankful to Terry, the Pegula family, and Kevyn Adams for this opportunity,” Ruff said. “This is a team ready to take the next step. I am both humbled and honored to be trusted to help this team win now. It is not a job that I take lightly. It is my goal to ensure that players believe in each other, play for each other and love being a Buffalo Sabre. There is no doubt that we all need to embrace the challenge ahead of us. The work starts today and I could not be more excited.”

With McLellan reportedly not super excited when he was interviewed previously, you know that is not the case with Lindy. He takes a ton of pride in representing Buffalo and the Sabres.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Just looking forward to the presser today so I can stop being glued to this forum and twitter until the offseason rolls around

 

[Jim Bob]

This is an interesting stats based look at Lindy’s teams since shot quality data has been available.

 

[Jacob582]

Sabres name Lindy Ruff as head coach

The Sabres have not made the playoffs since Ruff was fired in 2013.

theathletic.com

With McLellan reportedly not super excited when he was interviewed previously, you know that is not the case with Lindy. He takes a ton of pride in representing Buffalo and the Sabres.

I have to think you would have to wait a while on other top candidates. They would want to interview for other teams and wait to see what other head coaches are fired.

 

[BFLO]

This was not a spur of the moment decision. And if you know who you want, why go thru some sort of process that wastes time and creates false expectations?

(This ain't a government job opportunity when EVERYONE who applies must be given equal consideration.....)

But.......so many can't help but be critical of everything..... I guess it's the WNY philosophy.

I don't understand this attitude. It's not like we've had the success of say, Boston, where they've had a dozen championships from their 4 major sports franchise's over the past 25 years. So if you're a Boston Sports guy It makes sense to have this smug attitude towards critical fans.

But it makes no sense to have this smug attitude towards critical fans if you're a Buffalo Sports guy. The critical fans have a 1.000 batting averages in Buffalo.

 

[Jim Bob]

I have to think you would have to wait a while on other top candidates. They would want to interview for other teams and wait to see what other head coaches are fired.

What other coaches that might get fired would Adams feel more comfortable hiring?

Mike Sullivan is the only potential firing that could see Adams having any interest in. And given his lack of experience with Adams, I don't know that he would hire Sullivan over Ruff.