Good news: the former head coach of the New Jersey Devils has announced his return.
Lindy Ruff will return for the 2023–24 season, the New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced on Wednesday, putting an end to any rumors over his future as head coach.
This season, under Ruff’s direction, the Devils finished in second place in the fierce Metropolitan Division with a 52-22-8 record. After defeating the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs, New Jersey was eliminated by the rival Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
According to Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic, the experienced bench boss is now discussing a new contract, which is scheduled to expire on June 30. The last three seasons, he has served as the Devils’ leader.
Fitzgerald told reporters on Wednesday, “I’ve always said that Lindy Ruff was the right coach for this group,” according to Amanda Stein. “So, this is where we are at this moment. He’s still the best coach for this team; he deserves it. Those children adore him, and we deserve him to be completely honest.”
The New Jersey Devils’ head coach Lindy Ruff will make a comeback. (Photo by Adam Hunger/AP)
The New Jersey Devils’ head coach Lindy Ruff will make a comeback. (Photo by Adam Hunger/AP) (AP)
Ruff’s 2022–23 season didn’t start well, as Devils supporters yelled “Fire Lindy” following the team’s opening two losses. After that, the team had a winning run, which caused fans to come around, with a chorus of “Sorry Lindy” echoing around Prudential Center in the middle of November.
The 63-year-old is one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, which is presented to the best head coach in the league each year. When Ruff led the Buffalo Sabres in 2006, he was bestowed with this accolade.
The Warburg, Alberta native spent four seasons as the head coach of the Dallas Stars from 2013 to 2017 before joining the Devils in 2020. However, his 15 seasons as a bench boss with the Sabres are what made him most famous. Over his career, he has coached 1,713 games and accumulated an 834-652-78-149 record.
