The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back a familiar face behind the bench.
The Sabres announced that Lindy Ruff will be the club’s next head coach. Ruff previously coached the Sabres from 1997-2013, overseeing the most successful period in franchise history.
Ruff was most recently the head coach of the New Jersey Devils, but he was let go in March.
“I am thrilled to welcome Lindy back as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement. “As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more.
“I want to be clear though that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him.”
Ruff replaces Don Granato, who was fired last week after the Sabres took a step back and missed the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season. The Sabres fired Ruff in the middle of the second season of that drought and have had six coaches in that time.
After announcing Granato’s firing, Adams told reporters that he would be looking for a coach with experience to fill the opening.
“I truly believe, and I do believe others see this as well, that we’re right on the cusp of taking the next step, and if you’re a head coach and you’re competitive and experienced, that’s something to get excited about,” Adams said last week.
Ruff, 64, will enter next season as No. 5 on the all-time head coach wins list with 864.
The Sabres were Ruff’s first stop as a head coach in 1997. Buffalo made the playoffs eight times with Ruff behind the bench, including reaching the 1999 Stanley Cup Final and the Eastern Conference Final three other times. Ruff was also head coach of the Sabres in 2006-07 when the club won its only Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise-record 53 wins. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2005-06 and has been a finalist three other times.
After his departure from the Sabres, Ruff coached the Dallas Stars and Devils for four seasons each and served as an assistant coach with the New York Rangers.
“I am thankful to Terry, the Pegula family, and Kevyn Adams for this opportunity,” Ruff said in a statement. “This is a team ready to take the next step. I am both humbled and honoured 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.”
