Lindy Ruff Can Lead This Team
“Fire Lindy” could be heard from the entire Prudential Center during the home opener. It might have been one of the loudest chants of the season. The Devils had gone through two terrible seasons led by Head Coach Lindy Ruff. His system was getting the most out of Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, but the rest of the team lagged behind. The defensemen were often left out of place due to the ask on each shift, and the power play was absolutely terrible.
Then, Ruff completely revamped his assistant coaches, and the formula finally worked. The Devils had the best record they’ve had in their 40-year history. They were one point away from winning the Metropolitan Division. Ruff was a major proponent for how this team worked.
In the playoffs, Ruff showed he was able to overcome some weaknesses that led to losses in the regular season. He tends to hope his goalie carries the day when he trusts them. In the playoffs, it was clear that wasn’t Vanecek. He went with Schmid, and it won them the Rangers series.
Ruff is a good head coach. He has been doing this for a long time, and that might be exactly what this team needs. His veteran style overcomes the lack of veteran presence in the locker room.