Jack Adams Award: The case for Lindy Ruff

[thesportsbuff]

I don't usually make threads for my blog posts, so don't hate me for it! I think it's a fun, semi-important topic that should be discussed eventually anyway. What do you guys think: Who should be the NHL's coach of the year? Home town bias aside, I would go with Barry Trotz or simply default to Alain Vigneault of Vancouver -- but who couldn't do that well with Vancouver's team? However, I do think Ruff deserves a little more mention than he gets and probably even deserves some votes. I can't stand hearing about how Lemaire should be coach of the year based on what Jersey almost accomplished -- yeah, he came in and turned the team around, but the Sabres didn't have to make any coaching changes to straighten out their season. Ruff dealt with the adversity, stuck to his game plan, and has said all along that the team would make playoffs. They're one point away from making it official.

 

Please take time to read my blog post even though it's a little lengthy.

 

If you listen to talk around the league, you’ll hear names like Dan Bylsma of the Pittsburgh Penguins, or Dave Tippet of the Phoenix Coyotes. To a lesser extent, you might hear Claude Julien of the Boston Bruins, Barry Trotz of the Nashville Predators, or Guy Boucher of the Tampa Bay Lightning. To many in the hockey media world, Jacques Lemaire would have been an absolute shoe-in had the New Jersey Devils completed their miracle run and qualified for the playoffs — even as one of the last few teams eliminated from the race, he’ll still undoubtedly get some votes. But out of all the talk shows I’ve listened to and all the so-called experts I’ve heard discuss it, there’s barely been a whisper about Lindy Ruff, head coach of the Buffalo Sabres. Why is that so?

 

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[Stoner]

Very well written! You really put a lot of thought and work into it, and even though it was long, it went fast and I stayed interested.

 

I think the case for Ruff is tough. Has a coach of the year ever won it when his team had fewer points than the year before? The award typically goes to a coach who takes a weak sister and brings it back to respectability. He had a 100+ point division winner back largely intact, and with two games left in the season, it's not in the playoffs yet. And as Bucky points out in his chat today, Ruff shouldn't necessarily get credit for cleaning up his own mess.

[X. Benedict]

I don't usually make threads for my blog posts, so don't hate me for it! I think it's a fun, semi-important topic that should be discussed eventually anyway. What do you guys think: Who should be the NHL's coach of the year? Home town bias aside, I would go with Barry Trotz or simply default to Alain Vigneault of Vancouver -- but who couldn't do that well with Vancouver's team? However, I do think Ruff deserves a little more mention than he gets and probably even deserves some votes. I can't stand hearing about how Lemaire should be coach of the year based on what Jersey almost accomplished -- yeah, he came in and turned the team around, but the Sabres didn't have to make any coaching changes to straighten out their season. Ruff dealt with the adversity, stuck to his game plan, and has said all along that the team would make playoffs. They're one point away from making it official.

 

Please take time to read my blog post even though it's a little lengthy.

A nice piece. I think it goes to Dan Bylsma.

I think I would put Trotz, Quenneville, Vigneault, and Tippet next in order.

[FogBat]

A nice piece. I think it goes to Dan Bylsma.

I think I would put Trotz, Quenneville, Vigneault, and Tippet next in order.

Given how much the Pens have been snake-bitten and have overcome those challenges, I would agree with you as well.

[OverPowerYou]

Given how much the Pens have been snake-bitten and have overcome those challenges, I would agree with you as well.

 

I think he's a classy guy. Probably the only reason I don't hate the Penguins as much as I should.

[bunomatic]

Lindy isn't even in the discussion but I think despite some of the naysayers on this site he's proven himself this season by sticking with it(after a terrible start) and finding a way to continue to motivate despite his long tenure. Not sure if the Jack Adams is in order this year. Look how well he did last year and he wasn't really in the discussion.

[Kristian]

Lindy isn't even in the discussion but I think despite some of the naysayers on this site he's proven himself this season by sticking with it(after a terrible start) and finding a way to continue to motivate despite his long tenure. Not sure if the Jack Adams is in order this year. Look how well he did last year and he wasn't really in the discussion.

 

I just want to see how much of this newly found motivation is triggered by the change in ownership.

 

If the team still puts forth an honest effort every night next December, I may be convinced.

 

Now? Not so much.

[wjag]

A nice piece. I think it goes to Dan Bylsma.

I think I would put Trotz, Quenneville, Vigneault, and Tippet next in order.

 

I agree. What Bylsma has done is astonishing.

[Lucky's]

For not having Crosby and Malkin as long as they have, even Jordan Staal who was out for a while as well, its almost impossible not imagining Bylsma getting the award. Without the top guys Penguins are still fighting for the top spot in the East.

[Weave]

I just want to see how much of this newly found motivation is triggered by the change in ownership.

 

If the team still puts forth an honest effort every night next December, I may be convinced.

 

Now? Not so much.

 

 

Yep. A pretty strong case can be made that the team performance in the 2nd half of this season is the result of Pegula's actions, not Ruff.

 

Fewer points than last season, barely scraping into the playoffs, 1st half was miserable, hell, there were folks wondering how close Lindy was to being fired at one point this Fall. Not the sort of accomplsihments typically mentioned in coach of the year candidates. There are a number of candidates more worthy of the award this season.

[samothyev]

Yep. A pretty strong case can be made that the team performance in the 2nd half of this season is the result of Pegula's actions, not Ruff.

 

Fewer points than last season, barely scraping into the playoffs, 1st half was miserable, hell, there were folks wondering how close Lindy was to being fired at one point this Fall. Not the sort of accomplsihments typically mentioned in coach of the year candidates. There are a number of candidates more worthy of the award this season.

 

It's sad that it had to be something outside the organization to get a hockey player to play hockey. It was obvious that Galisano wasn't going to ever really do anything with this team other than make the bottom line... Now these guys have something to play for and are playing. Just makes it that much more interesting with a hell of a good coach and some heart and desire that has been lacking for what seems to be ever. LET'S GO BUFFALO!!!!

[thesportsbuff]

Yep. A pretty strong case can be made that the team performance in the 2nd half of this season is the result of Pegula's actions, not Ruff.

 

Fewer points than last season, barely scraping into the playoffs, 1st half was miserable, hell, there were folks wondering how close Lindy was to being fired at one point this Fall. Not the sort of accomplsihments typically mentioned in coach of the year candidates. There are a number of candidates more worthy of the award this season.

 

I don't necessarily buy into the whole "Pegula re-energized this team!" talk. The purchase was far from official when the Sabres began to turn things around, and this is virtually the same roster that won the NE Division last year -- we all (well, most of us) knew what the team was capable of, and that's why the first half of the season was so frustrating. Ruff still had to keep his guys motivated, even after being ruled out of the playoffs and losing his leading scorer of 3 straight seasons for the year prior to the halfway point, and he was able to guide the team to the highest win percentage in the conference the second half of the season. I know I'd be hard pressed to find somebody that agrees with me, but I think the timing of the Sabres turn around and the Pegula sale was simply a coincidence.

 

Like I said, realistically I don't expect Lindy Ruff to win the award, but you can't deny the job he's done in the team's turnaround. I highly doubt the ownership change did much to excite all the first/second year players on the team. They haven't been here to experience most of the problems under Golisano, so why would an ownership change be the event that turned their season around ? Myers, Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick, Niedermayer -- even guys like Weber and Butler, who couldn't find consistent playing time when Golisano was owner, have stepped up their games and become some of the most important players on the team. Hell, a guy like Connolly who according so many here is only on the team because of Larry Quinn -- why has he turned into one of our better players on the club after Quinn leaves?

 

The fact that Lindy Ruff was considered to be in danger of losing his job at one point speaks volumes to how monumental of an accomplishment it really is for the team to make playoffs.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I don't necessarily buy into the whole "Pegula re-energized this team!" talk. The purchase was far from official when the Sabres began to turn things around, and this is virtually the same roster that won the NE Division last year -- we all (well, most of us) knew what the team was capable of, and that's why the first half of the season was so frustrating. Ruff still had to keep his guys motivated, even after being ruled out of the playoffs and losing his leading scorer of 3 straight seasons for the year prior to the halfway point, and he was able to guide the team to the highest win percentage in the conference the second half of the season. I know I'd be hard pressed to find somebody that agrees with me, but I think the timing of the Sabres turn around and the Pegula sale was simply a coincidence.

 

Like I said, realistically I don't expect Lindy Ruff to win the award, but you can't deny the job he's done in the team's turnaround. I highly doubt the ownership change did much to excite all the first/second year players on the team. They haven't been here to experience most of the problems under Golisano, so why would an ownership change be the event that turned their season around ? Myers, Gerbe, Ennis, McCormick, Niedermayer -- even guys like Weber and Butler, who couldn't find consistent playing time when Golisano was owner, have stepped up their games and become some of the most important players on the team. Hell, a guy like Connolly who according so many here is only on the team because of Larry Quinn -- why has he turned into one of our better players on the club after Quinn leaves?

 

The fact that Lindy Ruff was considered to be in danger of losing his job at one point speaks volumes to how monumental of an accomplishment it really is for the team to make playoffs.

 

Great post and you actually deserve Rep for it.......... :beer:

[drnkirishone]

I agree with alot of people and say Bylsma should get it. But I also think Lindy deserves some attention for the trophy for what he has done