* * *
Nick Veronica is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team as the Digital Executive Producer in 2021. He previously worked at NBC Sports and The Buffalo News. You can follow Nick on Facebook, Twitter and Threads. See more of his work here.
Sabres hire Lindy Ruff for second stint as head coach
6
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Sabres brought back Lindy Ruff as head coach on Monday, marking the return of a fan favorite who led the team to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final.
Ruff replaces Don Granato, who was fired last Tuesday after three seasons behind the bench.
The Sabres have not made the playoff since firing Ruff during the 2012-13 season, stretching their NHL-record drought to 13 seasons. Ruff coached the Sabres' last playoff game in 2011.
“As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more," GM Kevyn Adams said in a statement on the team website. "I want to be clear though that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him.”
Since leaving Buffalo, Ruff held head coaching positions with the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils.
Ruff has the fifth-most coaching wins in NHL history and is the winningest coach in Sabres history by a wide margin, posting a record of 571-432-78-84 from 1998-2013. Scotty Bowman is second in franchise history with 210 wins.
Granato had a 122-125-27 record with the Sabres, including his time as interim head coach in 2021.
The Sabres finished seven points out of playoff position this season, but have most of their key pieces under contract for next season.
Ruff will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday. You can watch live on WIVB.com.
This is a breaking story, check back for more