Ruff isn't doing his job

[Skooby]

Ruff is an obstinant guy that refuses to put his team in a position to win:

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/article922507.ece

[OpIv37]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

interesting article. Not sure how it proves that Ruff isn't doing his job though.

I like the fact that Ruff tries to use all of his guys to play both ends of the ice. I don't like the fact that he'll match McCormick and Ellis up against Spezza's line- that just seems inherently stupid.

[Skooby]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

interesting article. Not sure how it proves that Ruff isn't doing his job though.

I like the fact that Ruff tries to use all of his guys to play both ends of the ice. I don't like the fact that he'll match McCormick and Ellis up against Spezza's line- that just seems inherently stupid.

Trying to force square pegs in round holes is a mark of a losing coach, you always play to a player's strength after you find it. A huge part of coaching is a assessing talent / skills / abilities, all the while putting that player in the best situation to succeed. Ruff just wants everyone to play his way, which is a formula for failure.

[OpIv37]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

And that's Ruff's fault for not adapting his strategy but not Darcy's fault for not finding players who fit Ruff's strategy?

Hockey isn't football. Guys have to play O and D. Sounds to me like Ruff is trying to make them do that instead of coddling them.

[Skooby]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

And that's Ruff's fault for not adapting his strategy but not Darcy's fault for not finding players who fit Ruff's strategy?

A coaches job is to get the most out of the players & as the article reads, they come to die in Buffalo.

[SkateZilla]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

A coaches job is to get the most out of the players & as the article reads, they come to Retire in Buffalo.

Fixed it for ya.

[Skooby]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

Fixed it for ya.

Much obliged.

[Meathead]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

ever since i saw the advanced statistics showing that ruff does the least amount of specializing offensive and defensive starts in the league ive been wondering if thats good or bad

its great having versatility on the ice to be able to effectively play both ends but in the worlds most elite league it seems like leveraging specialized skill sets would be a better way to go

idk man, i like lindy but until i hear some explanation from him on this i cant help but agree that perhaps he isnt maximizing his player resources

[Skooby]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

ever since i saw the advanced statistics showing that ruff does the least amount of specializing offensive and defensive starts in the league ive been wondering if thats good or bad

its great having versatility on the ice to be able to effectively play both ends but in the worlds most elite league it seems like leveraging specialized skill sets would be a better way to go

idk man, i like lindy but until i hear some explanation from him on this i cant help but agree that perhaps he isnt maximizing his player resources

You work with the hand you're dealt & if you try to play it for anything but the maximum possibilities it has, your odds of success fall. I can't begin to tell to you how much Ruff takes control of these players, he will literally sit anyone that doesn't conform to exactly what he asks them to do. Normally that is a mark of a great coach but when he's not maximizing the talent he is given, we're limited as to how far we can go.

We are not winning any championships with Ruff at the helm, he'd be a better assistant coach that works with the defense only.

[Typ0]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

And that's Ruff's fault for not adapting his strategy but not Darcy's fault for not finding players who fit Ruff's strategy?

Hockey isn't football. Guys have to play O and D. Sounds to me like Ruff is trying to make them do that instead of coddling them.

That sounds good on paper. Unfortunately, they come up against teams that stress a strong rosters strengths the mediocrity of this system does not get it done. There is a limited talent pool out there if you can land some good guys you had better play up their strengths and do a lot of praying for championship luck. The Sabres seem to want to breed talent to play within Ruff's system which is like trying to massage a bad spouse into a good one. Ruff is a great coach for what this team has been...get some talent hope for some luck to take you along...be consistent at mediocrity and look good periodically. If this team really wants to win it will be a fight with Ruff at the coach because it's going to take some big Ego's doing Ruff's thing instead of their own...

[Cali512]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

I hated Ruff last year, i wanted him gone so bad. But now looking back on it, I could say comfortably that 90% of the time, Ruff had the guys were they should be, or got them in position to score. The problem is our team would Woop on every opportunity. We seemed well conditioned, cept for the whole Miller BS, and hes just a coach. Hockey is 90% first reaction. That is not something you can fully coach. I think weve had the wrong players, and the only reason it looks bad on lindy, is because weve had them for years and he gets the most out of them as he can, but there best is not even close to good enough. Its not like weve changed drastically since the Briere days, were workin on it but still reletivley the same people, well untill Roy finally left

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

Ruff should have been gone at the VERY minimum of after the 2008 season. Two years in a row, conference finalists, 2008 season no playoffs. Most teams would have dumped after the lockout ended when he lead the team to 3 straight years with no playoffs.

I have no idea how the guy has the job security he has when the team has missed the playoffs 6 of the 14 years he's been here and 6 of the last 10 seasons. Most organizations would have gone in a different direction long ago, the Sabres stick with a guy who clearly isn't good enough to coach a Stanley Cup winning team. I don't get it.

Somehow the dude even survived an ownership change! Baffled.

[Skooby]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

Ruff is stool that never got flushed, we're really stuck with him.

[YardRat]

Re: Ruff isn't doing his job

Ruff will win a Stanley Cup as a head coach, but maybe not here.