On Tuesday, April 23, the Buffalo Sabres formally announced Lindy Ruff as their new head coach. Ruff discussed various aspects during his press conference at KeyBank Center, including the team’s talent, the importance of commitment and cohesion from the beginning of training camp, and the goal of elevating the team to the next level.
Time to get started. 😤#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/VBuoMUp6Bg
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 23, 2024
Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Here are three Sabres players who could flourish under their new head coach.
Rasmus Dahlin
During his introductory press conference, Ruff made a point to highlight the Sabres’ goaltending and a defense anchored by Rasmus Dahlin, who had 73 points in the 2022-23 season. In that same season, Ruff’s New Jersey Devils won 52 games and a playoff round, largely thanks to Dougie Hamilton, who also had a 70-point campaign. Now back with the Sabres, Ruff will have the opportunity to coach another elite defenseman. The question is whether he can elevate the 2018 first-overall pick to another level. Paul Hamilton shares his thoughts:
Ruff might also consider Dahlin for the Sabres’ captaincy, a role the 24-year-old says he’s ready for.
Tage Thompson
On Wednesday, April 24, Ruff discussed Thompson on Sabres Live, recalling how in the 2022-23 season while with the Devils, he identified Thompson as a player his team needed to shut down due to his outstanding performance (47 goals and 94 points). During that time, there was also considerable attention on Devils’ forward Jack Hughes, who publicly praised Ruff and demonstrated that the veteran head coach is adept with young players.
The fact that Thompson and Hughes were separated by only five points in the 2022-23 season is something that excites Ruff, despite Thompson’s offensive regression this season, ending with 29 goals and 56 points. However, injuries played a significant role in this decline, and towards the end of the season, Thompson began to resemble his previous form. The talented center possesses all the necessary skills to become a 50-goal scorer and 100-point producer in the NHL. The question remains: can Ruff help him reach that level?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
The standout story of the Sabres’ 2023-24 season undoubtedly revolves around Luukkonen, whom the Sabres are reportedly looking to extend, according to Elliotte Friedman. With Ruff, who previously coached the likes of Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller in Buffalo, Paul Hamilton posed the question, “so who’s your goaltender, Lindy?” Ruff’s response was:
How reassuring must it be for Luukkonen to hear that from his new coach? Under former head coach Don Granato, there was a belief that Devon Levi was the preferred choice, despite Luukkonen’s excellent season. Therefore, unless Levi outperforms him in camp, it’s clear that Ruff will rely on Luukkonen.
A couple of honorable mentions for players who could benefit under Ruff include Alex Tuch, who expressed excitement about playing for him, having grown up watching Ruff coach the Sabres. Another mention goes to Zach Benson. Ruff mentioned on Tuesday that this team reminds him of the 2005-06 Sabres with Daniel Briere and others. Benson, like Briere, is a 5-foot-10 forward with considerable skill, a high hockey IQ, and impresses teammates despite being only 18 years old. It will be intriguing to see how the relationship between Benson and Ruff develops.
The Sabres now have an experienced head coach who will hold them accountable. Now, we wait to see which players will thrive and which ones won’t.
