Buffalo Sabres’ Problem: The Players or Lindy Ruff?
February 5th, 2013 by Andy Lipari Leave a reply »Lindy Ruff has been behind the bench for the Buffalo Sabres since 1997. The way the Sabres have been playing so far this season has Buffalo wondering if 2013 will be his final season with the team.
For a coach that’s been with the team for 15 seasons, Ruff hasn’t had the success to warrant that long of a stint. Ruff only has eight playoff appearances in his first 14 seasons. When you consider four of those seasons were from 1998-2001, Ruff’s lack of success stands out even more.
He only has four playoff appearances in the last 10 years and only made it out of the first round twice. The Sabres haven’t won a playoff round since beating the New York Rangers in 2007, yet Ruff is still the head coach.
For a coach that gets criticized for not having enough offense, the Sabres’ problem this year has been on defense. Buffalo ranks 26th in goals per game allowed. With Thomas Vanek playing at an MVP level through nine games, Buffalo is ninth in goals per game offensively. The problem will be when Vanek comes back to earth; the defense will still be faltering.
The Sabres have been soft and undersized for ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Andy Lipari
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