Fire Ruff.

[JD]

Clearly holding on for a point in the 3rd.

Absolutely pathetic, he should lose his job for that alone.

14 years.


FOURTEEN

[SabreEleven]

Don't hold your breathe.

[JD]

breath*

[Philagape]

Clear out the whole damn FO below Black.

In the post-Hasek era, they've missed the playoffs in six of 10 seasons.

[The Jokeman]

Clear out the whole damn FO below Black.

In the post-Hasek era, they've missed the playoffs in six of 10 seasons.
and in the post-Roy era the Avanlanche has missed the playoffs in six of 9 seasons, in other words, it's not easy to replace Hall of Fame goalies. That said I think Ruff needs to go as HC. Keep him in the organization but we need some new ideas behind the bench.

[Philagape]

and in the post-Roy era the Avanlanche has missed the playoffs in six of 9 seasons, in other words, it's not easy to replace Hall of Fame goalies. That said I think Ruff needs to go as HC. Keep him in the organization but we need some new ideas behind the bench.

"It's supposed to be hard! If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it."
Jimmy Dugan

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

With the hard on Pegula has for Ruff, I cannot see him fired for some time. It will be one of Pegula's growing list of mistakes.

[DMBcrew36]

With the hard on Pegula has for Ruff, I cannot see him fired for some time. It will be one of Pegula's growing list of mistakes.

Pegula has a list of mistakes already? Give me a break.

[SabreEleven]

With the hard on Pegula has for Ruff, I cannot see him fired for some time. It will be one of Pegula's growing list of mistakes.

What's on this list so far?

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

What's on this list so far?

1. Not cleaning house when he bought this team
2. Relying on Regier for his hockey input.

When you miss the playoffs, you aren't mistake free.

[SabreEleven]

1. Not cleaning house when he bought this team
2. Relying on Regier for his hockey input.

When you miss the playoffs, you aren't mistake free.

1&2 are the same thing...Was he going to keep Regier on and not rely on his hockey input?

[G Wolly]

2 reasons isn't a list. It's a note.

[Cali512]

You watch other teams, and how its almost watching a different sport than watchin the sabres. Lindy assumes everyones the best hockey player ever on our team, so it seems like durring the offseasons i dont think he works on the simple things. Passing, shot accuracy. Its hockey, theres a certain way to hit a puck, its not rocket science. Our players need to get passes shot at them at full speed repeatedly, and practice timing passing, break away passes, and put some dumbies in front of the net and teach our point men how to get the puck to the net.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

3.Ruff ain't going' nowhere.

I am not saying I don't love Pegula as an owner, I think we are going to have an adjustment period where he learns when to kick people to the curb to make his hockey team better.

[chernobylwraiths]

With the hard on Pegula has for Ruff, I cannot see him fired for some time. It will be one of Pegula's growing list of mistakes.

I disagree with your assessment that Pegula has made a growing list of mistakes. The only mistake I think he made was keeping Regier. But I think Ruff's time has come and gone.

[tampabay25690]

Ruff will be here next year!!

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I disagree with your assessment that Pegula has made a growing list of mistakes. The only mistake I think he made was keeping Regier. But I think Ruff's time has come and gone.

Growing list might be the wrong words, retaining Regier is a big one mistake.

[chernobylwraiths]

Growing list might be the wrong words, retaining Regier is a big one mistake.

Well, on that there are a lot of us that agree with that statement.

[snow1989]

These boards are hysterical....just two months ago people were hailing Regier as a genius for getting a first round pick for Gaustad....then he reverts back to a clown.

Regier and Ruff aren't going anywhere this year. They have only had 1 year under this new 'free reins' ownership of Pegula - so get used to it. If we don't make the playoffs next year, then you can look for a change.

And Regier must not be too bad with talent since it seems we could call up guys and they did alright...Foligno, McNabb, Tropp etc....so perhaps his evaluations are alright he just needs to work on his trading form.

I think everyone is forgetting that Pegula has been at the helm for just over a year for whatever reason just assumed the cup would magically fall into downtown buffalo....true, it's not acceptable we didn't make the playoffs, there will have to be improvements...and yes I agree...Stafford, Roy, Boyes, Ellis, Kaleta, Sekera and a few others could easily be on the trade line...if it makes sense then do....but this whole 'throw the baby out with the bathwater' ideology won't fix things.

[rbochan]

Ruff is living proof you can be considered "successful" by simply riding good goal-tending.

-Ruff doesn't seem to maximize the talent he has - rather he dumbs down the talent to make it fit the style he wants.
-Ruff changes the line-up every game, which means NO consistency.
-Ruff sucks at managing goalies.
-Ruff is a players coach and is too close to these players.
-Ruff plays favorites to the detriment of the team.
-Ruff misuses timeouts
-Ruff can't keep a line together to save his life.

I think it's reasonable to start seriously questioning why all this "talent" the Sabres supposedly have is never realized.
It's not a new theory - but to me, there is only more and more validity to the assumption that Lindy Ruff's 'system' smothers the natural talent of our players, dumbing them down to a mediocre, generic product of a team. There are no stand-outs (other than Miller). There must be a reason the 'system' is so hard to play for some of these players - because it's not their natural game.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

These boards are hysterical....just two months ago people were hailing Regier as a genius for getting a first round pick for Gaustad....then he reverts back to a clown.

Regier and Ruff aren't going anywhere this year. They have only had 1 year under this new 'free reins' ownership of Pegula - so get used to it. If we don't make the playoffs next year, then you can look for a change.

And Regier must not be too bad with talent since it seems we could call up guys and they did alright...Foligno, McNabb, Tropp etc....so perhaps his evaluations are alright he just needs to work on his trading form.

I think everyone is forgetting that Pegula has been at the helm for just over a year for whatever reason just assumed the cup would magically fall into downtown buffalo....true, it's not acceptable we didn't make the playoffs, there will have to be improvements...and yes I agree...Stafford, Roy, Boyes, Ellis, Kaleta, Sekera and a few others could easily be on the trade line...if it makes sense then do....but this whole 'throw the baby out with the bathwater' ideology won't fix things.


You're right, we should all just be happy with missing the playoffs and just accept this teams fate.

[chernobylwraiths]

Yeah, what people were "hailing Regier as a genius"? Hey, he did a good job of getting a first rounder for Gaustad, but so what? Two playoff appearances in 5 years, and one of those years they barely squeaked in.

Pegula loosened the purse strings and we got a solid defeneseman and had to take an extra three million dollar salary to do it. Plus, Pegula had to pay another 2 million for a guy who Darcy brought in to play in Rochester. I guess that talent he brought in not only didn't pan out but nobody else wanted him. And his big move? Bringing in a winger to play center. How'd that work out?

[Michael82]

I'm sick of the way Ruff badly mismanages the line changes. Sick of seeing all his teams act like a bunch of pussies. Sick of seeing the team start out slow and get hot at the end, but too late. Sick of seeing his teams NOT make the playoffs in 3 out of the last 5 years. Sick of his terrible powerplays! I want him gone! :mad:

[Night Train]

Buffalo always stays loyal to those who are well past their prime or have worn out their welcome. Stubborn to change.

Ruff & Reiger should have been replaced last year. The message is stale and the roster needs to be tweeked with a fresh set of eyes.

[DMBcrew36]

Yeah, what people were "hailing Regier as a genius"? Hey, he did a good job of getting a first rounder for Gaustad, but so what? Two playoff appearances in 5 years, and one of those years they barely squeaked in.

Pegula loosened the purse strings and we got a solid defeneseman and had to take an extra three million dollar salary to do it. Plus, Pegula had to pay another 2 million for a guy who Darcy brought in to play in Rochester. I guess that talent he brought in not only didn't pan out but nobody else wanted him. And his big move? Bringing in a winger to play center. How'd that work out?


I have no problem with Regier staying. I want him to stay. It's Ruff I want gone. I think players stop responding after a while. One only needs to look at the comments from the Washington Capitals GM after they fired Bruce Boudreau.

“The reason for the change was we weren’t winning, obviously, and this wasn’t a slump,” General Manager George McPhee said. “You can ride out slumps. This was simply a case of the players were no longer responding to Bruce.

“Bruce did a terrific job here,” McPhee added, “but when the players aren’t responding you have to make a change.”

[PTI]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7201336/st-louis-blues-replace-davis-payne-head-coach-ken-hitchcock

Happens every year, the freaking Blues fired their coach, this season, they were 6-7, they finished with 109 points, only one team had more. Their leading points guy had 54 points, David Backes, who is Jason Pomminville light. Their 3rd leading point getter at forward had less than Stafford and Derek Roy. The Sabres roster is better than the Blues roster, and they play in a division with the the Red Wings, Black Hawks, and Predators. 10 teams had 100 points or more, and 4 of them were in the Blues division.

I have wanted Ruff gone for 6 years now, maybe more. He has not produced results. If you need one more reason, look no further than this year's St. Louis Blues and you should fire Lindy Ruff.

[mightysimi]

and in the post-Roy era the Avanlanche has missed the playoffs in six of 9 seasons, in other words, it's not easy to replace Hall of Fame goalies. That said I think Ruff needs to go as HC. Keep him in the organization but we need some new ideas behind the bench.

But they've changed coaches!!

[trapezeus]

the first change is ruff.

reiger has, for the most part, brought in decent talent through trades and acquisitions. and he apparently has a good reputation around the league.

he needs to face the ultimatum. "change coaches, or we change everything."

i would like to see an off the record interview with players to see what their thoughts on ruff were.

[trapezeus]

also, when do we get a billboard to get lindy out?

[DMBcrew36]

also, when do we get a billboard to get lindy out?


Eh, unlike a guy like Jauron, I think we all like Lindy Ruff. It's nothing personal - it's just time for a change. A billboard would be wrong.

[Historian]

Regier and Ruff aren't going anywhere this year. They have only had 1 year under this new 'free reins' ownership of Pegula.

This is the same argument the Sabres apologists in the local media are making.

Sorry, it doesn't wash.

Well, in Buffalo it does....but it shouldn't.

[trapezeus]

Eh, unlike a guy like Jauron, I think we all like Lindy Ruff. It's nothing personal - it's just time for a change. A billboard would be wrong.

actually i think jauron was a good guy as well. jauron was frustrating because he couldn't adapt...ever. ruff is beginning to look as lost. 12 game losing streak? still trying to protect 1 goal leads and A. not being able to do it, and b. not learning that it hasn't worked?

i said the billboard as a joke. but i think you actually have more case for a billboard here. because ralph doesn't even live in buffalo and they were pretty much ok doing whatever they wanted at the time. the sabres in black and pegula seem to be about keeping the fan happy. if they saw a huge outpouring of "ruff has never won a cup, can him." maybe they'll rethink their, "he ain't going nowhere bit."

[tatersalad]

I guess i'm in the minority I think Ruff did a good job, when the team was healthy they played well look at the stretch at the end of the season.. What we need is a Healthy team

[mightysimi]

I guess i'm in the minority I think Ruff did a good job, when the team was healthy they played well look at the stretch at the end of the season.. What we need is a Healthy team

And no expectations.

[PTI]

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=392829

Hahaha, Lindy knows he sucks and has it good with the Sabres. He has declined the offer to coach Team Canada in the World Hockey Championships, guess he can't handle the pressure. If this isn't even more of a sign he needs to replaced I am not sure what is, Canada should be favored in every international hockey event out there.

[SabreEleven]

Text from WGR 55 says Ruff and Regier will be back for next season.

[Philagape]

I was just thinking, what this team needs is more of the same.