"We’re screwed big time. 3-5 more years of basement living."

At least you get #1 overall picks. 2 in 3 years and a good chance at now 3 in 4 years. Must be nice. While my basement team gets 2nd worst in the NHL last year yet drafts #5. And now 2nd worse yet again and willing to bet they will get the #5 again.

Ya either way we're going to have a chance to get a stud D prospect, top 10 is loaded with them. I dont have any faith in this team to be picking anywhere but inside the top 5 come next draft
- vlongo4419

Who's looking good for the 2026 draft?

"We’re screwed big time. 3-5 more years of basement living."

At least you get #1 overall picks. 2 in 3 years and a good chance at now 3 in 4 years. Must be nice. While my basement team gets 2nd worst in the NHL last year yet drafts #5. And now 2nd worse yet again and willing to bet they will get the #5 again.
- Bojangle

if those 1st overall picks get crushed in development due to crap coaches, i'm not sure they're even worth it. I'd rather turn 10th and 15th overalls into quality players than perpetually suck and try to be good in several years when the 1st overalls can carry the team in spite of the coaching, or they finally change coaches. I'm curious how long it'll actually take. What a waste.

"I don’t like this hire. I think Ruff is a coach whose reputation as a coach outweighs his current ability as a coach. He hasn’t accomplished much – as the head man or assistant – in more than a decade, which I guess makes him a good fit for the organization he’s joining."

Todd is sick and tired and not going to take it anymore.
- MannySilvers

Ya Todd is usually a master of kind criticism. This is as blunt as he gets with his opinions. I agree Gallant was my top pick, followed by Lav, followed by keeping Nas. Ruf has been placed on many great teams with mediocre outcomes, and generally has a terrible defensive structure. I guess we can keep discussing the D we need, otherwise start betting the Over of the O/U props (until it inevitable raises to 6.5).

God speed Blackwood

"I don’t like this hire. I think Ruff is a coach whose reputation as a coach outweighs his current ability as a coach. He hasn’t accomplished much – as the head man or assistant – in more than a decade, which I guess makes him a good fit for the organization he’s joining."

Todd is sick and tired and not going to take it anymore.
- MannySilvers

Ya Todd is usually a master of kind criticism. This is as blunt as he gets with his opinions. I agree Gallant was my top pick, followed by Lav, followed by keeping Nas. Ruf has been placed on many great teams with mediocre outcomes, and generally has a terrible defensive structure. I guess we can keep discussing the D we need, otherwise start betting the Over of the O/U props (until it inevitable raises to 6.5).

God speed Blackwood

Jack needs to be the #1 priority for this team, he needs to be put in every position to succeed. Regardless of Ruffs analytics defensively, the only reason i dont mind this hiring is because Ruff will likely let him loose and tap into his offense potential. Other than that, theres no reason to be positive about this.

The problem I see is ownership saw what happened with hynes who didn't have experience, MacLean was a terrible coach too

And the big names probably didn't want to come so we are stuck with mediocre but with experience

The problem I see is ownership saw what happened with hynes who didn't have experience, MacLean was a terrible coach too

And the big names probably didn't want to come so we are stuck with mediocre but with experience
- dmarsden2988

Apparently that Swedish guy was our first choice but he was going to honor his contract. That might have just been a polite way to tell the org to (frank) off but who knows. One interesting theory I heard put out is that Ruff will just be a yes man for the analytics department, who influenced Ray's firing. There's nothing to confirm this other than speculation though.

I don't love it, but I don't hate it. We can point to defensive metrics, but how good were those teams before and after he got there? How much talent did he have to work with? Honest questions, but I'm sure it's not all on the coach, especially when talking about a notoriously poorly run organization like Buffalo.

Lots of immediate blame on the NJ owners, but hiring is a two way street and we don't know what the actual climate was. Who's to say any of the big fish were even seriously considering NJ. Established coaches aren't usually too keen on taking on a rebuild unless they have no other choices. So chances are Boudreau, Gallant, etc. are waiting around to see what happens after the playoffs and will jump onto a better, established team.

My theory is that the big names didn't want the job, or at least were going to wait it out. Maybe they also weren't sold on Fitz as a GM, and is part of why they took so long to remove the interim tag. Waiting doesn't work for a NJ team that's about to draft possibly 3 times in the first round. So in came Ruff, and they made a deal.
- robvl22

If Gallant and Lavy weren't going to work out then it is what it is; but there are always options and there has to be better then Lindy Ruff.

I don't buy that coaches won't come here. NHL Head Coaching jobs are pretty limited.

NJ DEVILS ALL TIME WINNINGEST COACH? Lou Lams! 2nd? Kevin Constantine!
(Regular season win percentage and officially head coach)

If Gallant and Lavy weren't going to work out then it is what it is; but there are always options and there has to be better then Lindy Ruff.

I don't buy that coaches won't come here. NHL Head Coaching jobs are pretty limited.

NJ DEVILS ALL TIME WINNINGEST COACH? Lou Lams! 2nd? Kevin Constantine!
(Regular season win percentage and officially head coach)
- Queenie_5_hole

There was certainly a lot of coaching changes with Lou as GM but a lot of it was covered up because the team was really good. Now we're a poop show on both fronts so the job isn't as enticing.

I like it. Proven winner w Buffalo. Never given the talent in Dallas and handcuffed by Nill. AV in NY didn’t let him rise up. Ruff rhymes with playoff and should be a great hire

Ruff rhymes with playoff
- halo63

Since when?

Since when?
- Pomegrant

Thank you. I thought I had a stroke.

Since when?
- Pomegrant

It's a half rhyme. There's a clever remark here, but I can't seem to find it.

Thank you. I thought I had a stroke.
- Queenie_5_hole

Might have been a better option, given these hirings.

Jack needs to be the #1 priority for this team, he needs to be put in every position to succeed. Regardless of Ruffs analytics defensively, the only reason i dont mind this hiring is because Ruff will likely let him loose and tap into his offense potential. Other than that, theres no reason to be positive about this.
- vlongo4419

Absolutely not the case. Jack will hopefully become an elite player. But he has to prove he is a top 6 forward on this team. Objectively, If you are basing that statement on his performance (7G, 14A, 0.34PPG and weak defensively), he deserves to be in Bing. I know that won't happen, but to hand the kid the keys to the castle is not the answer. He will be better, hopefully significantly, but throwing him every opportunity based on his draft position just isn't fair.

Thank you. I thought I had a stroke.
- Queenie_5_hole

Our D is half as good as the Rags.. which means it's twice as bad, which means a bad defensive coach combined with bad defensive talent.. is probably going to equal disaster, the forwards scrambling on D, which equals poor offense.. Blackwood being overworked..

doom. perpetual doom perpetuating pervasive doom. and around it goes.

But ok, maybe i'm wrong, maybe this will workout, maybe it'll be entertaining. I don't have a reason to have anything against Ruff as a person.. so I'll root for the guy.

Everything I rant about the owners is of course speculation and having fun being obnoxious about stuff as far removed from my own life challenges as hockey.. so I'm having fun being a fan. Maybe it'll all workout. Maybe we'll get 50 wins. Maybe Hughes will explode. Maybe Hischier will turn into Bergeron and Palmieri into Marchand and Gusev into Pasta.. and Blackwood into Brodeur.. and Severson into Lidstrom and Smith into Coffey.. and Bahl into Chara.. and Boqvist into Elias.. and Zacha into Messier, and our 7th overall into the next OV! SURPRISE, our pick pots 100 while Laf adjusts with a measly 70. wooo!

it's the (frank)ing Catalina Wine Mixer.

Since when?
- Pomegrant

Who's looking good for the 2026 draft?
- rmdevil313

Got Shane Wright who was granted exceptional status coming in 2022. Ruff should be gone by then.

Ruff is the coach. Time to stop belly aching and start getting behind him. I am all in.

Our D is half as good as the Rags.. which means it's twice as bad, which means a bad defensive coach combined with bad defensive talent.. is probably going to equal disaster, the forwards scrambling on D, which equals poor offense.. Blackwood being overworked..

doom. perpetual doom perpetuating pervasive doom. and around it goes.

But ok, maybe i'm wrong, maybe this will workout, maybe it'll be entertaining. I don't have a reason to have anything against Ruff as a person.. so I'll root for the guy.

Everything I rant about the owners is of course speculation and having fun being obnoxious about stuff as far removed from my own life challenges as hockey.. so I'm having fun being a fan. Maybe it'll all workout. Maybe we'll get 50 wins. Maybe Hughes will explode. Maybe Hischier will turn into Bergeron and Palmieri into Marchand and Gusev into Pasta.. and Blackwood into Brodeur.. and Severson into Lidstrom and Smith into Coffey.. and Bahl into Chara.. and Boqvist into Elias.. and Zacha into Messier, and our 7th overall into the next OV! SURPRISE, our pick pots 100 while Laf adjusts with a measly 70. wooo!
- MartysBetter88

You aren't wrong. Except Gusev can't shoot like Pasta, Palms will never become a pest (even tho he hits everybody). But Hisch, he could very well reach Bergeron status in a couple of years.

Anyway, the massive POSITIVE here is 80% of the teams in this league are screwed by the flat cap for the next two seasons. So many teams inked extensions expecting the cap to jump close to 88M, and now they are going to be forced to shed good players to become cap compliant. We can offer sheet Barzal, or simply take Leddy for pennies on the dollar. Same goes for Sergachev. Many GM's are scrambling, and hoping to move $$$ out ASAP. Devs/Kings/Sens/Det are about the only teams to have some real space going forward. LA will likely be a top destination, but I am sure we are better suitors than Ott and Det

Ruff is the coach. Time to stop belly aching and start getting behind him. I am all in.
- redmonsters

i'm dying inside