New Jersey Devils: If Lindy Ruff Does Get Fired, Who Are Replacement Options?

The New Jersey Devils fanbase is incensed right now. They want the entire coaching staff fired after the team’s performance on Tuesday. Personally, I’m not sure where I am at with that. I wrote last week that the Devils shouldn’t fire Lindy Ruff. If Ruff makes certain moves with his staff, I still think it could work, however, the Devils might actually make the move on from their coach.

The game on Tuesday night was pathetic. Against the Philadelphia Flyers, the only team they could seem to beat, the Devils just got stomped like a mudhole. They lost 6-1, and there was no effort in their play. They couldn’t do anything on the power play (again), the offense struggled to make any plays, and the defense was terrible. Mackenzie Blackwood was the worst of them.

However, the team was all sick, so that’s definitely an excuse built-in for Ruff. He says that Blackwood was the sickest one “of them all”, yet he was in net and just didn’t play his best game. Now, the Devils have to at least seriously consider what to do at the head coaching position. The Devils wanted to be competitive late in the season. As of right now, that’s not going to happen.

So, the Devils have to do something. If they do decide that “something” is firing Lindy Ruff, what are their options right now to replace him? There aren’t a lot after the Vancouver Canucks hired Bruce Boudreau, but there are some. Here’s what they can do right now.