New Jersey Devils: How Long Does Lindy Ruff Want To Do This?

The New Jersey Devils shocked the world last offseason when they hired Lindy Ruff. They were reportedly talking to current New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant and current Washington Capitals coach Peter Laviolette, but they went with the guy who came with a cheaper price tag with a similar experience set (although with less success in the playoffs). The Devils hired a 60-year-old man to coach one of the youngest teams in the league.

Many weren’t happy with the hire, but he hasn’t been too bad. Stan Bowman himself couldn’t get much more out of the team last year between the injuries, the COVID outbreak, and the veterans being traded. Ruff did the best he could with what he had.

Now, he has a lot more. The Devils made major changes to the roster by adding Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves, Jonathan Bernier, and Tomas Tatar among others to the lineup. This team is going into the season a lot better than it was last season. Add in some exciting prospects who could make the team, and the Devils have the makings of something interesting.

But Ruff is already 61 years old. He will turn 62 in February. Rick Bowness, the Dallas Stars head coach, turns 66 years old this season. So it’s not improbably that Ruff could have a lot left in the tank. The NHL coaches tend to be older than the NFL and MLB, so people can stay on the bench for much longer. That’s especially true since the NHL has been known to recycle coaches. Teams would rather give coaches their third or fourth chance rather than hire someone new.

Ruff became an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers in 1993. He was a part of the team’s inaugural season, a season that also included current Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald. That means he is coming up on his 30th year on the bench. Not many get that many years in charge.

Ruff might have a few years if he thinks this is his chance to finally get a Stanley Cup ring. He’s come close twice. He lost the controversial 1999 Stanley Cup Final as the Buffalo Sabres’ head coach. He was also on that Panthers team that went to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final. He never made it to the promised land as a player as he played for the Sabres and Rangers.

Maybe Ruff has a five-year plan for the Devils, but it’s always a question whether he plans to stay for all of it. Things aren’t going to be as volatile as they were in the past under Lou Lamoriello, but Ruff needs to prove his system can last for the long term. This is a very important time for the Devils. Ruff is on the older side of coaches, but it seems like his style makes sense in the new era. If he wants to keep doing this for the long term, the Devils will likely let him. (Unless, of course, a certain European coach becomes available.)