Three pros of bringing back Lindy Ruff as head coach

While Ruff has shown some shortcomings during his tenure in New Jersey, there are positives about keeping him in charge.

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I recently wrote about the three biggest items on the to-do list of New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald.

The first was sorting out the coaching staff. Whether Lindy Ruff remained or not, changes were absolutely necessary.

Fitzgerald realized as much and promptly made his choice, keeping Ruff while electing to move on from Mark Recchi and Alain Nasreddine.

While we all know the cons of Ruff as head coach – at least through two years in New Jersey – it’d be ignorant not to examine some of the pros of keeping him around.

Let’s do just that.

The stars shined under Ruff

By any objective measurement, Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt all performed like top-line players in 2021-22.

Each had – by far – the best season of their careers; and they supported Ruff publicly as well as behind closed doors. Hughes, in particular, made it very clear he is a Ruff fan.

Amanda Stein @amandacstein

#NJDevils Jack Hughes: "I've got a lot of respect for Lindy, he knows how to push me, how to push my buttons. We have a really good relationship, I'm a huge Lindy Ruff fan."

That’s not nothing coming from the three most important forwards on the roster long-term.

Now, I’m not at all suggesting Hughes, Hischier, and Bratt would be chopped liver under another head coach. They’re all very effective players who could succeed with anybody behind the bench.

In saying that, I think Ruff’s style definitely plays to their strengths. Ruff likes his guys to skate, play fast, play aggressive, and use their speed to attack teams in transition.

Hughes, Hischier, and Bratt are all fluid skaters who are comfortable carrying the puck and dissecting opponents on the fly. It’s a good match.

You always want coaches to play to the strengths of the roster rather than trying to turn players into something they are not.

I don’t think John Tortorella would’ve been on Fitzgerald’s radar but, as an example, he is much more likely to rein his guys in than turn them loose and let them do what has made them successful. Jim Montgomery is another guy who’d prioritize defense and low-event hockey as opposed to letting his creators maximize their abilities.

Ruff is not that type of coach; and I think that is important for this core.