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Online bookmaker: Ruff favored to be new Rangers coach

Buffalo Sabres v Washington Capitals

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Head coach Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres motions from the bench against the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center on March 27, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

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Former Buffalo bench boss Lindy Ruff is the 13/4 favorite to be named the new head coach of the New York Rangers, according to online bookmaker Bovada.

Ruff was fired by the Sabres in February. He’d been the head coach in Buffalo since July 21, 1997. Four times Ruff took the Sabres to the conference finals. He led them to the Stanley Cup finals in 1999, where they fell to the Dallas Stars in six games.

Ruff is no pushover, but he’s considered less combative than John Tortorella, who was fired by the Rangers this week. It’s been reported that “multiple” New York players pushed for Tortorella’s dismissal.

Whoever ends up with the job, Rangers general manager Glen Sather has said he wants his new coach hired in time for the June 30 draft.

Here are the rest of the candidates, according to Bovada:

Alain Vigneault 7/2

Mark Messier 7/2

Dave Tippett 11/2

Dallas Eakins 7/1

Mike Keenan 15/2

Paul Maurice 8/1

Marc Crawford 17/2

Guy Boucher 15/1