SwampD Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 When they're winning: Having a great goalie keep them in the game when they are getting peppered in their own zone. Then taking advantage of the few opportunities they get on offense. When they're losing: Getting peppered in their own zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad1 Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ruff's team's feature defensemen jumping into the play, and forwards backchecking. His defense plays in the passing lanes and looks to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. The team plays a trap in the neutral zone, also looking to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. His gameplans are based on speed, especially the transistion and cycle games. His power play focuses on a high-low slot game, that promotes tip-ins and rebounds, which keys on getting shots through from the slot. His penalty kill is a collapsing box that prevent odd-man situations low in the crease and cross-ice passes. His coaching style demands accoutability from his players. The forwards have to get back. The defensemen have to jump into the play. Defenders have to block shots. In his tenure here, Ruff has had one 40 goal scorer. His best defenseman has been, arguably, Jay McKee. His best power forward was J.P. Dumont(?) The players he has coached have been nowhere near the talent level of Crosby-Malkin, Lacavier-St. Louis, Datsyk-Zetterberg, Spezza-Heatley or even Staal-Cole. Yet, when his team shows just a little grit, the Sabres have always been in the mix. Veterens, floaters, and one-way players have a difficult time playing under Ruff. However, when he has a couple of willing players on the roster, the team displays team toughness and grit. In the majority of playoff series Ruff has coached, his team has been the underdog. Despite this, the team has played in four conference finals and one Cup final. Ruff owns the Sabres coaching record for wins, set the franchise mark for wins and points two consecutive seasons, has won the Adams trophy, and coached the team to the President's Cup. Bottom line is that with a couple of tough minded veterens on the roster, Ruff has been an unarguably successful coach. The easiest path back to the playoffs is to get him those type of veterens this offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ruff's team's feature defensemen jumping into the play, and forwards backchecking. His defense plays in the passing lanes and looks to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. The team plays a trap in the neutral zone, also looking to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. His gameplans are based on speed, especially the transistion and cycle games. His power play focuses on a high-low slot game, that promotes tip-ins and rebounds, which keys on getting shots through from the slot. His penalty kill is a collapsing box that prevent odd-man situations low in the crease and cross-ice passes. His coaching style demands accoutability from his players. The forwards have to get back. The defensemen have to jump into the play. Defenders have to block shots. In his tenure here, Ruff has had one 40 goal scorer. His best defenseman has been, arguably, Jay McKee. His best power forward was J.P. Dumont(?) The players he has coached have been nowhere near the talent level of Crosby-Malkin, Lacavier-St. Louis, Datsyk-Zetterberg, Spezza-Heatley or even Staal-Cole. Yet, when his team shows just a little grit, the Sabres have always been in the mix. Veterens, floaters, and one-way players have a difficult time playing under Ruff. However, when he has a couple of willing players on the roster, the team displays team toughness and grit. In the majority of playoff series Ruff has coached, his team has been the underdog. Despite this, the team has played in four conference finals and one Cup final. Ruff owns the Sabres coaching record for wins, set the franchise mark for wins and points two consecutive seasons, has won the Adams trophy, and coached the team to the President's Cup. Bottom line is that with a couple of tough minded veterens on the roster, Ruff has been an unarguably successful coach. The easiest path back to the playoffs is to get him those type of veterens this offseason. This is a very good post. I just wonder, though, if any team has ever been successful with this "play the puck, not the man" philosophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ruff never threw a punch. :wallbash: you don't punch goalies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 you don't punch goalies. Unless you're another goalie. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Unless you're another goalie. :) Or Ray Emery...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimiVbaby Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Or Ray Emery...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Or Matt Barnaby.... :ph34r: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Ruff's team's feature defensemen jumping into the play, and forwards backchecking. His defense plays in the passing lanes and looks to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. The team plays a trap in the neutral zone, also looking to convert turnovers into odd-man rushes. His gameplans are based on speed, especially the transistion and cycle games. His power play focuses on a high-low slot game, that promotes tip-ins and rebounds, which keys on getting shots through from the slot. His penalty kill is a collapsing box that prevent odd-man situations low in the crease and cross-ice passes. His coaching style demands accoutability from his players. The forwards have to get back. The defensemen have to jump into the play. Defenders have to block shots. In his tenure here, Ruff has had one 40 goal scorer. His best defenseman has been, arguably, Jay McKee. His best power forward was J.P. Dumont(?) The players he has coached have been nowhere near the talent level of Crosby-Malkin, Lacavier-St. Louis, Datsyk-Zetterberg, Spezza-Heatley or even Staal-Cole. Yet, when his team shows just a little grit, the Sabres have always been in the mix. Veterens, floaters, and one-way players have a difficult time playing under Ruff. However, when he has a couple of willing players on the roster, the team displays team toughness and grit. In the majority of playoff series Ruff has coached, his team has been the underdog. Despite this, the team has played in four conference finals and one Cup final. Ruff owns the Sabres coaching record for wins, set the franchise mark for wins and points two consecutive seasons, has won the Adams trophy, and coached the team to the President's Cup. Bottom line is that with a couple of tough minded veterens on the roster, Ruff has been an unarguably successful coach. The easiest path back to the playoffs is to get him those type of veterens this offseason. Hate to nitpick an otherwise good post, but Satan scored 40 in 1999, otherwise you're dead on the money. What does get lost in all of this, is that I could easily see another coach get something more out of these guys than Ruff does. If they went complete gung-ho run and gun, I could see them squeezing into 7th or 8th, then get killed in the first round. Does this mean this other coach would be a better overall coach than Ruff? Not necessarily, all it means is that these players are in no way cut out for Ruff's system, and blame falls squarely on Larry the Moron and Darcy Regier, for building a team that it is incompatible with the teams coach and vice versa. As an added bonus, showing no willingness to change up either just rounds up how much of a trainwreck this has become, even though two or three personnel changes could probably make this a playoff team next year. Larry and Darcy want to have their cake, and eat it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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