On October 15, 2008, Ruff became the 23rd coach in NHL history to win 400 games, and just the seventh to win 400 games for one team. The Devils have not been that type of team over the past two seasons. Happy 21st birthday to the best twin sister a guy could ask for. They won big. His 501st win behind the bench with the Sabres put him one ahead of Toe Blake, who coached to 500 wins with the Montreal Canadiens. We touched a little bit on what to expect, but no promises or guarantees. The New Jersey Devils made it official on Thursday that Tom Fitzgerald is staying on as GM (minus the interim tag) and Lindy Ruff will be their new head coach. 22. When regulars Jerry Korab and Jim Schoenfeld were injured Darcy got his chance. I think it's probably easier for a brother. He proved that point 23 years ago when he became lead bench boss with Buffalo in 1997. He is from Canadian. [15], On June 20, 2013, the Dallas Stars announced they were in the process of hiring Ruff as head coach. A left-shot defenseman during his playing days, Ruff is now recognized as one of the most successful coaches and ranks third among longest-tenured coaches. I'd never seen my dad with such sorrow. Their children also love fishing and wake surfing. Ruff served as the head coach of the Central Division squad in the 201516 All-Star Game. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 60 years old? A left-shot defenseman during his playing days. I feel like the relationship that weve already started last year overseas makes it a smooth transition for me.. Kresse and Scott Kruger, Brent's linemates, were thrown from the bus and died. In the immediate aftermath, many players wondered how they would get to Regina in time for the game and if they would play that night. His 501st victory made him the winningest mentor who only coached one team. "[26] Ruff said afterward "I accept the apology and maybe one day we can all sit down and have a beer and laugh about it. In Ruff's second season as coach, the Sabres reached the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals before finally losing to the Dallas Stars in six games. Ruff has had success behind the bench and on the international stage. Ruff was previously the head coach of the Dallas Stars of the NHL, and also the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres from 1997 to 2013, with whom he won the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year in 2006. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? He played for the ice hockey team Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the OJHL. [7] A large contingent of Sabres fans attempted to raise money to pay the fine on Ruff's behalf. On July 9, 2020, the teams Executive Vice President/General Manager, Tom Fitzgerald announced him the teams head coach. Subban helped lead them to a gold medal at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. "Brent was just a great guy, and you could tell he was going to be an awesome player," said Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic, a teammate on that Swift Current bus. "We liked his smarts and determination on defense.". Ruff does have a few connections on the Devils roster. Rick Stewart. The Buffalo Sabres and Sabres.com are trademarks of The Hockey Western New York, LLC. The Devils, who had a 28-29-12 record when play was suspended in March, have qualified for the postseason just once in the last eight seasons, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in 2018. An illustration of this came in a May 10, 1980, playoff game against the New York Islanders, when opposing goaltender Billy Smith struck Ruff with his stick as he passed in front of his net. After an organizational demolition this winter, the Devils tabbed Ruff and made interim general manager Tom Fitzgeralds role permanent. When hes not fishing, Ruff likes to mountain bike on one of the many trails in the area or go white-water rafting. We talked a little bit about the bus ride, where everybody was sitting, what happened. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Ruff was an assistant coach with Canada when P.K. "There are not too many 16-year-old kids that would be allowed to do that. The position of those picks will be determined in a second draft lottery held between the play-in and first rounds of the postseason. I must confess that despite being one of Lindy's largest detractors this season, it was kind of odd not seeing him behind the bench in such an important game. Ruffs youngest daughter earned her doctorate from Belmont University in Nashville this year but didnt have a graduation ceremony, so she invited a few friends from grad school to come celebrate in Montana. But he didn't stay there long. On April 29, 2011, the Sabres announced Ruff had agreed to a multiple year contract extension. Rather than leave it unspoken, Sakic said he would be sure to seek out Lindy in Dallas. The Devils have topped NHL analytics charts for most of the season - they rank third in Corsi for percentage at five-on five (55.12%) - and Ruff uses this information to make line decisions. with Buffalo and the Rangers, fit his preference for a coach with deep experience who could also win a locker room with his strong presence and infectious personality. I got to watch Lindy Ruff boss the team Tom Fitzgerald assembled to one of the worst records in Devils history since the dark days of the 1980s. "He wanted to be a lot like Lindy. After all, you don't have that many opportunities to win the Cup.". The next thing you hear are people screaming at the back of the bus.". During his playing career, Ruff played in . The NHL said Ruff precipitated the brawl following a questionable hit on then co-captain Chris Drury by the Senators' Chris Neil. The 24 teams that did return had a second training camp, Phase 3, and the seven others would like to replicate that. for a day of fishing with Mackenzie Blackwood. I don't know. Actually, Ruff is one of only four NHL coaches to coach 1,000 games for a single team. "Maybe even tougher was seeing my parents. The opening scene of Valiant, a documentary about the incredible first season of the Vegas Golden Knights, includes sweeping views of the Montana landscape and the clubs owner, Bill Foley, surveying the scene from his helicopter. A challenge-loving coach, Lindy took in a team experiencing its longest playoff drought and led them to the most wins in the franchises history. Married? Lindy Ruffs income source is mostly from being a successful . Such a significant amount must have added fortunes to Lindy Ruffs net worth. Brett is working as the Coordinator of the Hockey Administration for Buffalo Sabres. An older brother, Randy Ruff, played and coached in junior hockey. If he could still play while taking the punishment that he'll start taking from now on, he'll be of great service to Buffalo. Ron Rolston, head coach of the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans, was named as his replacement. Moreover, Lindy and Gaye are enjoying their blissful and long-standing marriage. He got the crowd going by fighting Milan Lucic and caused a melee, while getting tangled with Adam McQuaid. [25], Questions continued to surround Ruff's job security heading into the 202223 season, with some suspecting that the hiring of former Florida Panthers coach and Jack Adams Award finalist Andrew Brunette as an assistant coach presaged him replacing Ruff at some point in the season. He played for the Sabres and New York Rangers. We wanted to get kind of a father figure a little bit, a guy whos been around the league.. "That's probably my single biggest regret. For Ruff, a typical summer day in Whitefish starts with him sitting on his dock, fishing pole in hand. Here is how the Rangers have fared in various defensive statistics under Ruff's . Copyright 1999-2023 New Jersey Devils and the National Hockey League. For two decades, Egeland has lamented lost friendship. Injuries eventually slowed him down after a while and he was traded to the Rangers.". That's why Egeland wanted to make sure Lindy Ruff fully understood one thing: the glint in Brent's eye whenever he spoke of the man he idolized. 1 over all in the 2019 draft. So today I attempt to decipher what the Devils may want to do with . If you find any mistakes or errors, help us to correct them, Use of this web site constitute acceptance of the Terms of Use and "It was quiet," the Buffalo Sabres coach said of how he spent his 47th birthday, "just a conversation I had with my parents. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. In fact, the Western New Yorkers forced Dallas into a third sudden death period when Hull "scored" out of an extremely controversial scramble. That could give me an opportunity to get to know people, too.. He wanted to be like Lindy, and he wouldn't let anything stop him. The 6 2 defenceman retired and started his coaching career with the Florida Panthers as an assistant coach. "Lindy was a tough aggressive kid," said Scotty Bowman, who was Sabres GM-coach for the 1979-80 season. Lindy was the light of his eye, and at the end of the day I hope Lindy really knows that. Brent Ruff was dear to him. The renowned coach Lindy Ruff and his wife . You cant do it alone, but you can do it as a five-man group, Ruff said. However, he never appeared in an NHL game. "[27] The team's winning streaking would ultimately extend to 13 games, equaling the franchise record. I try to not let it ruin a birthday, but I don't really feel like celebrating. Lindy has carved a remarkable career for himself with a playing career of fourteen years and an ongoing coaching career since 1993. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Weve been coming here a long time, Ruff said. On February 17, 1960, the NHL head coach was born in Warburg, Alberta, to his parents, Leeston Ruff and Shirley Ruff. Maybe he would've won a Stanley Cup. On January 8, 2011, Ruff became the winningest coach who only coached for one team in NHL history when the Sabres defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 21 in overtime. Ruff knew he wanted to be a head coach again after just one year. Ruff was the longest-tenured coach in the NHL and was rewarded with a three-year contract extension that had an option for a fourth season. "On the inside, it's a painful day, but I don't want it to have any effect on my kids. Image Source: Social Media. Part of that for me is four guys in on the offense and creating enough motion in the offensive zone to allow some of these guys to play some one-on-one hockey and create opportunities on their own.. Stan Fischler Lindy Ruff spent half of his life working for the Buffalo Sabres, as a player for 10 years and a coach for 16. . "We'll just go talk," Sakic said. "I don't know if Lindy even knows that. But there is always that week or 10 days before camp starts when players start to gather. "Ruff never was the most talented player in the world," historian Andrew Podnieks wrote in "Players," Podnieks' definitive who's who of hockey. His nomination was the second time he has been a finalist for coach of the year. Foley owns Whitefish Mountain Resort and a cluster of the restaurants in town. Travis Zajac played for Ruff at the 2009 world championships. At 62 years old, Lindy Ruff height Eryn Ruff, Brett Ruff, Brian Ruff, Madeleine Ruff. Podnieks: "Lindy was a rare example of a player who seemed perfectly comfortable at forward or defense. A well-known example of his bluntness were his comments regarding Toronto Maple Leafs player Darcy Tucker. Tom Renney of the New York Rangers and Peter Laviolette of the Carolina Hurricanes were also nominated. If I get more than that, its a banner day for me.. He seemed pretty upfront and was really easy to talk to, Schneider said of Ruff. Tom . Mike Foligno once hit Lindy Ruff in the eye with his stick while celebrating a goal. "The first few minutes it's just unfolding in front of you in slow motion," said Costello, now an editor with The Hockey News. Sakic took the opening faceoff for the Western Conference. Ruff played most of his NHL career for the Sabres, serving as captain of the team for nearly three years, but he was traded to the Rangers at the 1989 NHL trade deadline in exchange for a draft pick. The first offseason for a new coach is centered around making connections and gearing your team up for a training camp that will include new information and systems. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Gaye and Lindy Ruff's children are Brett Ruff, Eryn Ruff, and twins Madeleine Ruff and Brian Ruff. Good, bad, and neutral: Breaking down Devils hiring Lindy Ruff as head coach. Ruff repaid Bowman's faith even without hefty numbers. Costello's split-second reaction was disappointment that the forward's season was over. Ruff got up, skated back to the goaltender and tackled him.[1]. [6] Because the hit to Drury did not result in a penalty, Ruff sent out Andrew Peters, Patrick Kaleta and Adam Mair, the team's "enforcers". Lindy Ruff's net worth Martin Brodeur, the Hall of Fame goaltender who is now an executive vice president and an adviser with the Devils, compared Ruff with former Devils coaches Jacques Lemaire and Claude Julien, who were considered teachers. In thirteen seasons as an NHL player, he played 691 games, scoring 105 goals. He wore No. At first, they stayed in a rustic cabin with the barest of necessities in Apgar, a village at the southern end of Lake McDonald inside Glacier National Park. [5], In February 2007, Ruff was fined US$10,000 by the NHL after a brawl with the Ottawa Senators. When he became head coach of Dallas in 2013, he immediately turned a losing team into a post-season threat. "Yeah, by far. Tags: feature . A well-known example of his bluntness were his comments regarding Toronto Maple Leafs player Darcy Tucker. Did you know the Devils head coachs career totaled$5,415,000? There was a lot I liked about the way they played. Brent was gleaming about that. All Lindy had was headaches and negative memories. Astonishingly, Ruff helped lead the wildly underdog Cats to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final before being taken out in a sweep by the potent Colorado Avalanche. When hes not talking to his players on the phone or Zoom, Ruff is getting acquainted with their on-ice work. Brian has followed in his fathers footsteps. His greatest success as an assistant coach was with the 199596 Florida Panthers, who made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost to the Colorado Avalanche in a four game sweep. Ruff became assistant coach of the Florida Panthers for the 199394 season until the 199697 season. Guess what? "I protested, hoping that it would be reviewed," he told a TV interviewer. This is done. Lindy Ruff, named head coach of the New Jersey Devils last month, and his family have a summer home on Whitefish Lake. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. "Very few coaches in National Hockey League history can match such a successful run," ex-Sabres GM Darcy Regier once observed. The duo takes the helm of a Devils team recovering from an organizational demolition, having traded Taylor Hall, the leagues 2018 most valuable player, and fired Coach John Hynes and General Manager Ray Shero by January of this year. He peeled back some debris to find Brent Ruff underneath the bus. Lindy Ruff is a professional ice hockey coach of Canadian nationality. The Broncos pulled out of Swift Current for a game that night in Regina. Devils goaltender Cory Schneider got a taste of Ruffs lifestyle away from the ice during their first phone conversation. Ruff is known for being blunt with the media. Alain Vigneault of the Vancouver Canucks won the honour; Ruff placed second in voting with 126 points to Vigneault's 134. But to have your youngest child taken away from you . In this method, the jelly-like inside of the eye is suctioned out. Lindy was Buffalo's captain at the time, while Marty, the brother in between, was drafted 20th overall in 1981. Blitzer did not want to say how he thought the Devils would fare as they regrouped under Ruff, saying of the process, The players will tell us that., https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/sports/hockey/new-jersey-devils-lindy-ruff.html. This was also on the anniversary of the controversial defeat of the Sabres in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999. Ruff led the Sabres to their most successful regular season ever in 200607 with a 53227 record for a total of 113 points. Ruff's younger brother, Brent Ruff, was one of four teammates killed in a bus crash while playing for the Swift Current Broncos in 1986. Ruff does have a few connections on the Devils roster. On April 29, 2013, Ruff ended his tenure with the Sabres as the NHLs longest active-serving coach with one team. It's the first thing you think of," Ruff said of Sakic being a constant reminder. Ruff was named the 15th head coach of the Buffalo Sabres on July 21, 1997. He often advised his sons to work hard. During his playing career, Ruff played in the NHL for the Sabres and Rangers, the former of which he captained. Lets hope he continues ascending the new heights of success. [2] He joined a long list of former Sabres players who eventually became Sabres head coaches: Floyd Smith, Bill Inglis, Craig Ramsay, Jim Schoenfeld and Rick Dudley. He grew up with his brothersRandy Ruff, Brent Ruff,and Marty Ruff. In truth, she was born with lovely blue eyes. Then, he also worked with the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The lone 16-year-olds on that Swift Current team bonded right away. Ruff was again nominated for the Jack Adams Award in 200607. "We don't talk much about it," Leeson said. All Rights Reserved. This was also on the anniversary of the controversial defeat of the Sabres in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999. "That makes it a tougher day, the first few years especially," said Lindy, the father of four. Once were in the zone, can we do a few things that would add to the possession numbers? A left-shot defenseman during his playing days,Ruffis now recognized as one of the most successful coaches and ranks third among longest-tenured coaches. What followed was one of the 200607 season's most memorable hockey brawls. [17], In 2014, Ruff led the Stars to their first playoff appearance since 2008, but lost in the opening round to the Anaheim Ducks in six games. "He certainly didn't disappoint," recalled Darcy Regier, who became Buffalo's general manager that same year. We started first coming (to Montana) in the mid-to-late 80s. Suffice to say, Sakic's name has been mentioned and his highlights replayed once or twice in Lindy's presence over the years. Lindy Ruff is the head coach of the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. Whitefish is a town of about 8,000, with breathtaking views of the lake and Big Mountain to the north. . Ruff was named the 15th head coach of the Buffalo Sabres on July 21, 1997. Well spend four or five hours sometimes on the boat doing that, Ruff said. He excelled at baseball, as did Lindy, once hitting four home runs in one game as a 15-year-old in a senior league. The Sabres would use that pick to select Richard mehlk, who would later play for several years under Ruff. Al Arbour won more games for the New York Islanders, but he also coached the St. Louis Blues early in his career. Nonetheless, the couple shared a beautiful bond even before they married in 1985. Privacy Policy That put him one "W" ahead of Montreal's legendary Hall of Famer Toe Blake. This week he seemed pretty upfront and was really easy to talk,... Hefty numbers team looks good, even without Alex Tuch stick while celebrating a goal the season... The winningest mentor who only coached one team 2013, Ruff said Maple... 'S Rochester Americans, was named as his replacement the first thing you hear are people at! 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On Ruff 's behalf injured Darcy got his chance Schneider got a taste of Ruffs away! 2 defenceman retired and started his coaching career with the Ottawa Senators to Mountain bike on one of the in. Boss with Buffalo in 1997 `` that makes it a tougher day, I... Type of team over the years the eye with his brothersRandy Ruff and! Camp, Phase 3, and he would be allowed to do.... Think it 's probably easier for a game that night in Regina,... The brawl following a questionable hit on then co-captain Chris Drury by the Senators ' Chris Neil zone, we. The past two seasons of only four NHL coaches to coach 1,000 games for the Jersey... That many opportunities to win the Cup. `` forward 's season was over post-season threat Leeson said day the. Replicate that 'd never seen my dad with such sorrow Ruff got,... Team looks good, even without hefty numbers world championships does lindy ruff have a glass eye about the bus. `` legendary Hall of Toe. Hope he continues ascending the New York Rangers and Peter Laviolette of the Buffalo Sabres Rangers. Without hefty numbers as his replacement 16-year-old kids that would be sure to seek out Lindy in.! '' Leeson said, he also coached the St. Louis Blues early his. What to expect, but he also coached the St. Louis Blues early in his career bond even before married! A goal gold medal at the age of 60 years old at baseball, as did,. Finalist for coach of the Central Division squad in the NHL said Ruff precipitated the brawl following a hit... With their on-ice work { format_cents } } { { start_price } } { { format_dollars } } { format_cents!, Eryn Ruff, a typical summer day in Whitefish starts with him sitting on his,... To get to know people, too about it, '' Sakic said does lindy ruff have a glass eye Blues early his!
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