Am I the only one who doesn't see the aura of genius that supposedly surrounds Lindy Ruff?

Aside from inexplicable longevity, and one Finals appearance, what exactly are his overwhelming credentials?

He's the first name off everybody's lips lately, and I just have no idea why.
- Tomahawk

he's the first name, because barry trotz is still coaching in nashville with even less to show for his efforts.

Before a game at the Wells Fargo Center this past season, I had a discussion with an NHL pro scout about coaches in the league. It was his opinion that Ruff is the best in the business.

The reason he cited: adaptability to work with the roster he's been given. Specifically, Ruff had the highest-scoring team in the NHL the year after the 2004-05 lockout. A few years later, after his roster had lost much of its dynamic scoring pop, the Sabres had a 100-point season and were among the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL.

That has carried a lot of weight around the NHL ever since.
- bmeltzer

Ruff is in the top 15 all time for NHL regular season games coached and NHL regular season wins. All with the same franchise.

He was successful both pre and post 2004-2005 lockout.

I can't believe the guy needs his resume defended.

See I dont think so, because they are in the top 5 picks. All the guys in the top 5 could be 1st overall picks in another year. See it works both ways, Nashville can say they would still be happy with anyone that would fall to them, as would anyone in the top 5, but Nashville needs a scoring Center like McKinnon more then a scoring winger or Number 1 defenseman. So getting future star in Ellis plus a player almost on equal of Mckinnon would be enough IMO.
- youarewrong

See but last year, as Tomahawk cited, last year the Islanders tried trading up from #4 to #2 by offering their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th, to move up only 2 spaces, and got rejected. It would be harder even to get from 5 to 1.

Ruff is in the top 15 all time for NHL regular season games coached and NHL regular season wins. All with the same franchise.

He was successful both pre and post 2004-2005 lockout.

I can't believe the guy needs his resume defended.
- johndewar

The thing I like about Ruff is that he isnt stubborn to a fault. He crafts his style around what he has to work with. Just look at some of the crap teams he has had...

Before a game at the Wells Fargo Center this past season, I had a discussion with an NHL pro scout about coaches in the league. It was his opinion that Ruff is the best in the business.

The reason he cited: adaptability to work with the roster he's been given. Specifically, Ruff had the highest-scoring team in the NHL the year after the 2004-05 lockout. A few years later, after his roster had lost much of its dynamic scoring pop, the Sabres had a 100-point season and were among the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL.

That has carried a lot of weight around the NHL ever since.
- bmeltzer

Or you can have Alain Vigneault who:

- One of the most strategic minds in the business
- Knows how to get the most out of his star players
- Plays the match-up game better than anyone else
- Credited with the development of many of the originally unheralded Vancouver players

I think he's a guy that can do a lot more with that Rangers roster. They're already spectacularly solid on the blueline.

I think he'd deploy Ryan Callahan the way he used Ryan Kesler in Vancouver. He could get a lot more out of Brad Richards and help develop guys like Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello (by line matching and specific zone starts).

If Colorado is smart they can manage to get the player they want at 1, or a player they need more then McKinnon, while addressing other needs. They could trade the first to Nashville for Ellis and the 4th overall. Nash takes McKinnon without a doubt. Florida either takes Jones or Drouin, Tampa either takes Nichushkin or Barkov, leaving 2 of the others for Colorado. Either Jones drops and they get the guy that wanted at 1 while picking up Ellis, or they get a future star winger they need without having to move a current center.

Then they can trade E.Johnson and Col 2nd for Coburn and the Flyers 11th overall. They select the opposite of what they got at 4. So if they got Jones, they pick up Shinkaruk, if they got a winger then they pick up Ristolainen.

Colorado gets:
Jones, Drouin, or Barkov
Shinkaruk or Ristolainen
Coburn
Ellis

For E.Johnson and a second
- youarewrong

This is very, very wrong. They would be getting Coburn and 1 of those picks for E. Johnson and a 2nd. The other pick they already own. I'm not sure how they are also acquiring Ellis in the Johnson trade, as the Flyers don't have anyone named Ellis.

Acquire Ellis and 4th overall
for
1st overall

Acquire Coburn, 11th pick
for
E. Johnson and 2nd rounder

So, if you do the sum of the trades, it's really:

1st overall, E. Johnson, 2nd round pick
for
4th overall, Ellis, Coburn, 11th overall

- hammarby31

Before a game at the Wells Fargo Center this past season, I had a discussion with an NHL pro scout about coaches in the league. It was his opinion that Ruff is the best in the business.

The reason he cited: adaptability to work with the roster he's been given. Specifically, Ruff had the highest-scoring team in the NHL the year after the 2004-05 lockout. A few years later, after his roster had lost much of its dynamic scoring pop, the Sabres had a 100-point season and were among the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL.

That has carried a lot of weight around the NHL ever since.
- bmeltzer

On the other hand, his teams have missed the playoffs 7 out of 15 seasons... that's almost 50%. Some of that falls on Regier, but it's hard to say that Ruff didn't always have good players at his disposal, especially the enviable stability between the pipes he enjoyed.

This is very, very wrong. They would be getting Coburn and 1 of those picks for E. Johnson and a 2nd. The other pick they already own. I'm not sure how they are also acquiring Ellis (who Ellis? Dan Ellis?) in the Johnson trade, as the Flyers don't have anyone named Ellis.

It's more like:
Keep current draft pick (Jones, Drouin, Barkov)

Acquire Ellis and 4th overall
for
1st overall

Acquire Coburn, 11th pick
for
E. Johnson and 2nd rounder

So, if you do the sum of the trades, it's really:

1st overall, E. Johnson, 2nd round pick
for
4th overall, Ellis, Coburn, 11th overall
- jmatchett383

I wouldn't want to give Coburn and an 11th for Johnson. Coburn, as many here have pointed out, is solid when he's healthy. With the 11th, we have a strong chance of drafting a player that will grow to have more value than Johnson. Johnson isn't the right choice, especially if Edler is on the market. Plus, we don't even know if COL is selling Johnson. He is literally the only good defender they have. Jones won't be able to step in and dominate the show next year. He holds their defense together by a string. I can't even imagine how they could possibly compete if they get rid of him next year.

Before a game at the Wells Fargo Center this past season, I had a discussion with an NHL pro scout about coaches in the league. It was his opinion that Ruff is the best in the business.

The reason he cited: adaptability to work with the roster he's been given. Specifically, Ruff had the highest-scoring team in the NHL the year after the 2004-05 lockout. A few years later, after his roster had lost much of its dynamic scoring pop, the Sabres had a 100-point season and were among the stingiest defensive teams in the NHL.

That has carried a lot of weight around the NHL ever since.
- bmeltzer

I've always really admired Lindy Ruff. For me, one of the most embarrassing nights as a Flyers fan was the night (was it the 2000 playoffs?) when some jagoff scored a direct hit on Lindy with their loaded beer cup. Sabres/Flyers playoff games were always something to see. A great competitor like Lindy deserved better than that.

See but last year, as Tomahawk cited, last year the Islanders tried trading up from #4 to #2 by offering their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th, to move up only 2 spaces, and got rejected. It would be harder even to get from 5 to 1.
- JAKEw1234

Because the difference in quality between #2 and #4 last year was greater then it is this year. Its relative.

Ruff is in the top 15 all time for NHL regular season games coached and NHL regular season wins. All with the same franchise.

He was successful both pre and post 2004-2005 lockout.

I can't believe the guy needs his resume defended.
- johndewar

Chris Osgood is 11th all-time in wins. He won 3 Stanley Cups. I consider him to be a good goalie that happened to play for some great teams. If he didn't play for Detroit, he'd be a guy like a poor man's Curtis Joseph: a good goalie who wasn't ever good enough to make a difference.

My point i that just because you have longevity and wins (in fact, longevity contributes to wins) doesn't mean that you're doing a spectacular job. The entire team plays a part in it, and all the coach can do is ask his players to do certain things on the ice.

This is very, very wrong. They would be getting Coburn and 1 of those picks for E. Johnson and a 2nd. The other pick they already own. I'm not sure how they are also acquiring Ellis in the Johnson trade, as the Flyers don't have anyone named Ellis.

Acquire Ellis and 4th overall
for
1st overall

Acquire Coburn, 11th pick
for
E. Johnson and 2nd rounder

So, if you do the sum of the trades, it's really:

1st overall, E. Johnson, 2nd round pick
for
4th overall, Ellis, Coburn, 11th overall
- jmatchett383

Sounds good. How do I make this happen?

Do you think anyone's considered bringing in a European coach? To this point, bringing in a European GM has worked quite well for Columbus. Maybe if a team can lure one of the best coaches in Europe, they can have some luck with them.

I wouldn't want to give Coburn and an 11th for Johnson. Coburn, as many here have pointed out, is solid when he's healthy. With the 11th, we have a strong chance of drafting a player that will grow to have more value than Johnson. Johnson isn't the right choice, especially if Edler is on the market. Plus, we don't even know if COL is selling Johnson. He is literally the only good defender they have. Jones won't be able to step in and dominate the show next year. He holds their defense together by a string. I can't even imagine how they could possibly compete if they get rid of him next year.
- JAKEw1234

I wouldn't either. A 1-for-1 straight up, yes. But there's a chance that the 11th alone is better than either, as neither have fully lived up to their billing.
That said, if Nashcille could get the 1st for Ellis and the 4th...wow.

Sounds good. How do I make this happen?
- mayorofangrytown

Become the GM of Philadelphia, Nashville, and Colorado.

Because the difference in quality between #2 and #4 last year was greater then it is this year. Its relative.
- youarewrong

Right, but if Mackinnon is projected to be the next Crosby or however out of this world as they are projecting him, then there is still a distinct gap in talent between atleast the #1/2 and #3-5.

Become the GM of Philadelphia, Nashville, and Colorado.
- jmatchett383

You have an in? Because I am like totally up for that.

I wouldn't either. A 1-for-1 straight up, yes. But there's a chance that the 11th alone is better than either, as neither have fully lived up to their billing.
That said, if Nashcille could get the 1st for Ellis and the 4th...wow.
- jmatchett383

If Colorado does that then Greg Sherman deserves to be fired for incompetence.

Right, but if Mackinnon is projected to be the next Crosby or however out of this world as they are projecting him, then there is still a distinct gap in talent between atleast the #1/2 and #3-5.
- JAKEw1234

What about the 2004 draft? There was a huge gap pre-draft between #1 and #2, with an even huger gap between #2 and everyone else. Both of those picks are kinda good.

You have an in? Because I am like totally up for that.

- mayorofangrytown

Could you organize some kind of trade similar to:

Shea Weber, Matt Duchesne, Pekka Rinne to Philadelphia
for
rights to Matt Walker and conditional picks

If Colorado does that then Greg Sherman deserves to be fired for incompetence.
- JAKEw1234

Patrick Roy is the one negotiating trades for that team now.

Patrick Roy is the one negotiating trades for that team now.
- bradleyc4

I think if Nashville offered that deal, Roy'd probably respond that he couldn't hear him talking with his Stanley Cup rings in his ears.

Do you think anyone's considered bringing in a European coach? To this point, bringing in a European GM has worked quite well for Columbus. Maybe if a team can lure one of the best coaches in Europe, they can have some luck with them.
- JAKEw1234

Viktor Tikhonov may be interested.

Could you organize some kind of trade similar to:

Shea Weber, Matt Duchesne, Pekka Rinne to Philadelphia
for
rights to Matt Walker and conditional picks
- jmatchett383

Depends on the condition for the picks.