Sabres fire Ruff

[Deebo]

Finally.

There were 170 NHL coaching changes between when he was hired and fired.

 

[Zee]

Right before the Leafs game, great.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Never liked him, one of the biggest whiners behind the bench.

 

[cw]

I haven't minded Ruff over the years as much as a few folks. Yes, he's an adversary as a Sabre coach but I thought he did a decent job with what he had to work with until recently.

The Sabres recently spent a bunch and seem to be underachieving from where I thought they would be. I don't blame the Sabres for this move. It will probably help them before it's too late.

 

[Peter D.]

The writing was on the wall for this move. 

 

[Kin]

I think it's a good move. After all, there's really no way Ruff can justify his decisions to give all of that money to Myers, Erhoff and Leino.

 

[Derk]

I wonder if Regier is next.

 

[Corn Flake]

I think it's a good move. After all, there's really no way Ruff can justify his decisions to give all of that money to Myers, Erhoff and Leino.

Owners can't fire themselves, you know.

 

[Corn Flake]

Right before the Leafs game, great.

Never fails.

 

[Justin]

Ruff wasn't the problem in Buffalo. He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason. Darcy Regeir is to blame. The Sabres have historically been a very conservative team and the moment Regeir was able to go on a spending spree for the first time in his long tenure he screwed up real bad. Don't be surprised to see Regeir out the door next, with Burke coming in to replace him. I called this one the day Burke got fired.

 

[bustaheims]

I wonder if Regier is next.

I was just about the post the same thing.

 

[Kin]

He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason.

Which is? If you look at his record all I really think you can take away is that he's been able to win when he's had a great goalie.

 

[Zee]

Ruff wasn't the problem in Buffalo. He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason. Darcy Regeir is to blame. The Sabres have historically been a very conservative team and the moment Regeir was able to go on a spending spree for the first time in his long tenure he screwed up real bad. Don't be surprised to see Regeir out the door next, with Burke coming in to replace him. I called this one the day Burke got fired.

Burke is a master of handing out good contracts.

 

[Zee]

He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason.

Which is? If you look at his record all I really think you can take away is that he's been able to win when he's had a great goalie.

That's a fair point.  Sabres were "great" when Hasek was there, then suddenly were bad when he left.  Became "good" again when Miller starting becoming a world beater and now not so much.

 

[Justin]

Ruff wasn't the problem in Buffalo. He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason. Darcy Regeir is to blame. The Sabres have historically been a very conservative team and the moment Regeir was able to go on a spending spree for the first time in his long tenure he screwed up real bad. Don't be surprised to see Regeir out the door next, with Burke coming in to replace him. I called this one the day Burke got fired.

Burke is a master of handing out good contracts.

He'd be a perfect fit in Buffalo. Pegula's big with USA Hockey and he wants to bring a "big-town" mantra to Buffalo. Who better to do that than Burke? BB would be close to his kids in Toronto. It's a match made in heaven.

 

[bustaheims]

His team is on pace to miss the playoffs for the 4th time in 6 seasons, and 7th in 11. If he was the coach here for that span with that record, we'd have been calling for his head for a long time.

 

[Corn Flake]

Ruff wasn't the problem in Buffalo. He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason. Darcy Regeir is to blame. The Sabres have historically been a very conservative team and the moment Regeir was able to go on a spending spree for the first time in his long tenure he screwed up real bad. Don't be surprised to see Regeir out the door next, with Burke coming in to replace him. I called this one the day Burke got fired.

Burke is a master of handing out good contracts.

He'd be a perfect fit in Buffalo. Pegula's big with USA Hockey and he wants to bring a "big-town" mantra to Buffalo. Who better to do that than Burke? BB would be close to his kids in Toronto. It's a match made in heaven.

And still close to Toronto for.. you know... personal reasons.

 

[Corn Flake]

His team is on pace to miss the playoffs for the 4th time in 6 seasons, and 7th in 11. If he was the coach here for that span with that record, we'd have been calling for his head for a long time.

I've never understood how he kept his job for as long as he did based on the criteria for why most coaches get fired.  I understand and appreciate continuity and that most GM's pull the trigger on the coach prematurely most of the time, but Ruff's tenure was the opposite extreme. 

For the last 3 years he's looked completely dumbfounded when his team was losing in a game.  No fire at all except when blaming refs.

 

[Zee]

Ruff wasn't the problem in Buffalo. He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason. Darcy Regeir is to blame. The Sabres have historically been a very conservative team and the moment Regeir was able to go on a spending spree for the first time in his long tenure he screwed up real bad. Don't be surprised to see Regeir out the door next, with Burke coming in to replace him. I called this one the day Burke got fired.

Burke is a master of handing out good contracts.

He'd be a perfect fit in Buffalo. Pegula's big with USA Hockey and he wants to bring a "big-town" mantra to Buffalo. Who better to do that than Burke? BB would be close to his kids in Toronto. It's a match made in heaven.

And still close to Toronto for.. you know... personal reasons.

Burke as GM and Wilson as new coach?  Imagine the laughs?

 

[Justin]

He's the 2nd longest tenured coach in North American professional sports for a reason.

Which is? If you look at his record all I really think you can take away is that he's been able to win when he's had a great goalie.

So? What coach is able to win without a good goalie? Traditionally new owners want to put their own stamp on the team. Lindy Ruff survived not 1, 2, or even 3 owners. He remained as head coach for 4 different ownership groups. How many guys can do that? Very, very, very few. Ruff guided the Sabres to moderate success and has coached on the international stage for Team Canada. I shouldn't have to explain you his track record though. All I'm saying is, if he stayed with 1 team for longer than pretty much everyone else in pro sports has been able to, it has to be for a good reason.