‘It’s not fair to blame Ruff for all of the Sabres’ struggles over the last several years, but at a certain point somebody has to absorb the blame or else it’ll look like the team tolerates losing. Even in a hockey-crazed town like Buffalo, it’s important for an owner — especially a new one — to prove to his fan base that winning is at the top of his to-do list. Firing a popular coach like Ruff sends that message, even if it was a tough call to let go of him in the middle of a season.’