Comments on: So long, Lindy — Sabres fire head coach Ruff

By: Eberwizzle

Eberwizzle — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:24:00 +0000

I believe they won that trophy 7 years ago?

By: go16rocketmail

go16rocketmail — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:15:31 +0000

Is Keith Jones from NBC high or on something ?? He was on his soap box yesterday saying the Sabres “owed it” to Ruff to keep him until the end of the year !! Are you crazy ? This team needs a spark to try and make the playoffs and not keep a guy around who can’t motivate his team !! Grab a clue there Keith !

By: cranespy

cranespy — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:12:42 +0000

The NHL needs men like Lindy…..hope he lands another coaching a job soon!

By: wonderkt

wonderkt — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:38:23 +0000

While I think Lindy is far from the biggest problem the Sabres have, it was probably the first step that had to be taken. As the article notes: “Buffalo’s current struggles come after the team missed the playoffs in 2011-12 despite one of the highest payrolls in the NHL.” Who signed all those high paid under-performing, ‘no-heart’ players to create one of the highest payrolls in the NHL?? It certainly was not Lindy. If the coach is going to be held accountable, how about the GM, too?

And, as a previous comment noted, maybe the slackers on the roster (and us Buffalo fans know who they are) will be embarrassed into halfway earning what they are being paid.

I will miss Lindy’s post-game press conferences, though. He was the rare sports figure who would actually say something and answer a question.

By: thedavesiknowiknow

thedavesiknowiknow — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:06:23 +0000

Realistically- he lost his job (along with it the team) during the 12 game losing streak (that happened LAST season) that ultimately cost the Sabres a playoff spot. It just took the organization until today to stop paying him and letting him go on the bench during games. If you caught any of the comments during locker clean-out day it was obvious that this group wasn’t interested in playing for someone they collectively hated. That should have been evidence enough that the guy had to go. The “status-quo” mentality and dysfunction that plague this organization haven’t come to a head just yet- but hopefully this actually is a start. This season is 1/3 of the way through- hopefully the players are aware of the hole they’ve dug for themselves. If not- I seriously hope we finally see (some) accountability on the players end as well. Shockingly- I think the fans (and the overall atmosphere in the arena) actually worked in this case, and may continue to influence decisions that management makes.

I’m conflicted on seeing Ruff go. He’s been the coach for half my life. All sentiment aside- the game passed him by. The style he was trying to force onto his players was dead 5 years ago, and dying 10 years ago. That would be enough: add to that the idea that there was practically nobody on his roster that was equipped to play that style anyways, and you have to wonder why it took so long, or why the roster never reflected his ideology. When Pegula took ownership of the team, I couldn’t help but have a vision of the day Ruff brought a Stanley Cup to Buffalo. All faults aside- he was a class act in the community, and deserves nothing but the best in the future. I really hope this roster is (at the very least) embarrassed into competing from here on.

By: dutchman1350

dutchman1350 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:01:11 +0000

Lindy,

Jarmo Kekäläinen and John Davidson holding on line 1.

By: steelers4385

steelers4385 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:37:31 +0000

YYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS

By: barkar942

barkar942 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:34:29 +0000

Hire Mike Haviland.

By: oquintero99

oquintero99 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:17:07 +0000

If Reiger is let go at the end of the season, would the Sabres hire Burke?

By: 19to77

19to77 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:09:51 +0000

Ruff’s not as much of the problem as Regier is. It’s not Ruff’s fault he has only half an NHL defense corps and one scoring line. The GM needs to actually correct his team’s weaknesses when they’re identified.

Not that Ruff didn’t need to go, but he’s the smaller part of the Sabres’ problem. Until Regier follows, this won’t accomplish much.

By: 8man

8man — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:36:54 +0000

Ruff won’t be out of a job for long. And the Sabres haven’t been awful. Then again, I’m not paying to see them. I always ask, rhetorically of course, who have you got that is better than the guy your are tossing?

By: bagjr387

bagjr387 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:32:10 +0000

I assume Regier did this to spare his own job…..But who knows how long he sticks around….although he seems to have been drafting better than average….

By: buffalowned

buffalowned — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:29:19 +0000

hahaha that’s great

By: 19to77

19to77 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:28:43 +0000

Didn’t the owner give both Ruff and Regier his “vote of confidence” last week? Is that NHL code for “you’re fired” or what?

By: bagjr387

bagjr387 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:28:25 +0000

nothing like winning your division or the presidents trophy every year(seems like it anyway) and getting bounced in the first round……

By: billsfan1

billsfan1 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:15:04 +0000

because the San Jose sharks have been such a force over the years… right?

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:01:18 +0000

Very well played.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:00:15 +0000

I’d say they need 4 defensemen and 6 forwards.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:59:29 +0000

I didn’t. Even with the poor record. I’m actually sorry to see him go, and I’m a Bruins fan.

By: buffalo65

buffalo65 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:53:10 +0000

As a huge fan I hate to see him go, might have been time though. For all those calling for his head, a lot of teams would have taken Ruff in a second.

By: oquintero99

oquintero99 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:49:28 +0000

Should have been the GM’s head. Lindy is a great coach but he can only do so much with the current personnel. Wish him the best! Hope he finds a gig soon. Would love to see him with the Avs.

By: zetaone

zetaone — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:47:50 +0000

So you’d suggest firing him a year after they won the President’s Trophy?

By: elemeno89

elemeno89 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:43:54 +0000

as much as i hate to admit that he needed to go, it is true. with that said, he is the only coach that i can remember while rooting for this team, and i respect him for everything that he has done for the organization. i wish him the best of luck, and i am honest when i say if he wins a cup or any other championship i’ll look at him with a smile on my face.

thanks lindy, but the time had come…

By: Eberwizzle

Eberwizzle — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:42:32 +0000

About 4 years too late

By: mydadyourmom

mydadyourmom — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:41:23 +0000

Ted Nolan is coming back.

By: Jason Brough

Jason Brough — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:41:12 +0000

Fixed. Our intern, Brett Hull, actually wrote this post.

By: mainevent7567

mainevent7567 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:35:17 +0000

hey Jason, not to nit pick… but 99 stanley cup? he has advanced past conference finals. give him that at least. granted Hasek did it for him.

By: buffalowned

buffalowned — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:35:01 +0000

He actually did advance further than the eastern conference finals once..they made it to this thing called the Stanley cup finals in 99

By: Stiller43

Stiller43 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:33:25 +0000

Whens the last time the sabres really did anything noteworthy witb their play?

Seems like this came way too late

By: juliath83

juliath83 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:33:19 +0000

I’d love for the Avs to hire him. They’ll probably hire another AHL coach, though. Or worse, extend Sacco another 3 years.