Where will Ruff have the biggest impact on this team?

[GASabresIUFAN]

When I think about a Lindy Ruff team, I think about him rolling 4 lines, activating the D, and playing fast.  I remember him always having some physical players but not being overly physical as a team.  Tough, yes, but not grind you into the ground types.

However the thing that always stands out is the good D groups. The 1999 team had McKee, Zhitnik, Woolley, Patrick, Smehlik, and Shannon.  05 had McKee, Lydman, Tallinder, Teppo, Soupy and Kalinin.  Even last year’s NJ team was excellent on all 3 pairs.  
 

I look at Dahlin, Power, Mule, Byram, and the others and I see a bunch of talented kids desperate for a coach who truly understands 2 way D play and that is Ruff.  When we are looking back at the 24/25 season next April (as we march into the playoffs) I think the defense is where Lindy’s biggest impact will be felt.

[Thorny]

The fanbase 

[PASabreFan]

Standings.

It's odd how the fans are conditioned.

Wins are all that matters.

We should be beyond... He's going to be good for the kids.

[Buffalonill]

Everywhere. 

Jack Adams Trophy and Stanley Cup coming

[MISabresFan]

I am hoping his calm and gentle demeanor shown in the press conference will help inspire and motivate a team needing encouragement, heart, and toughness.  The message he sends in practice shows up on the ice during live game competition.   Will they be tough to play against, relentless forecheck, trap/shut down defense, physical around the net, or fast pace north and south skill team? 

I hope he blends the personalities and skills of each player into a unique and exciting team to watch.  Like putting a puzzle together, and having a team play 60 minutes - end to end.  Regardless if they are young.  I have my fingers crossed and hope that is what Lindy brings.

[Believer]

Great question. Agree with every post above. Good stuff.

Also think Ruff brings invaluable experience to Adams decision-making…

If Ruff had been here, doubt the preseason prospect auditions would have taken priority over getting his starting players game ready…

Doubt the Three Goalie Rotation would have gone on for nearly two plus months…

Doubt the Player Stunt dissing the fans and poisoning the locker room would have gone on at all…

And Ruff has current knowledge of potential players Adams is considering bringing to Buffalo. He’s coached against every one of them recently, whoever they are.  This can be great input to Adams.

[Carmel Corn]

I think (hope) he will have the team READY to start the season, unlike Granato.  He will use training camp to prepare the team to have a good start, instead of Granato using it to look at prospects.

[Pimlach]

Ruff’s input on the roster is going to be important if Kevyn is going to bring in some help.  
 

Two way hockey and  fast and hopefully with a physical presence.  
 

We are going to join the NHL soon 

[Slack_in_MA]

I think we're going to see them play more full 60 minute games, stemming from being in better physical and mental condition.

[GoPre]

Motivating the players, but also making the players understand they will be held accountable.  There are consequences.  If a player is simply going through the motions, appropriate measures will be taken to correct that, regardless of the name on the backside of the jersey. 

I like to think he'll do such a good job of that he'll rarely have to carry any of this out. 

Edited April 24 by GoPre

[PromoTheRobot]

I think he's going to tear the heads off certain players.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think he's going to tear the heads off certain players.

I dunno if that works with this age group 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, Thorny said:

I dunno if that works with this age group 

I guess we'll find out.

[USMCSnyper]

Accountability and Special teams

[Thorny]

5 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I guess we'll find out.

I just sort of expect him to employ a different tact. But I do think he’ll rip the heads off a few officials 

[dudacek]

8 hours ago, Thorny said:

The fanbase 

This is more important to the team than a lot of people realize.

I brought up in season how the players felt the disdain and it affected them.

Got a lot of pushback that amounted to “if true they need to suck it up.”

They did need to, but that doesn’t make it irrelevant or not true.

 

8 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

When I think about a Lindy Ruff team, I think about him rolling 4 lines, activating the D, and playing fast.  I remember him always having some physical players but not being overly physical as a team.  Tough, yes, but not grind you into the ground types.

However the thing that always stands out is the good D groups. The 1999 team had McKee, Zhitnik, Woolley, Patrick, Smehlik, and Shannon.  05 had McKee, Lydman, Tallinder, Teppo, Soupy and Kalinin.  Even last year’s NJ team was excellent on all 3 pairs.  
 

I look at Dahlin, Power, Mule, Byram, and the others and I see a bunch of talented kids desperate for a coach who truly understands 2 way D play and that is Ruff.  When we are looking back at the 24/25 season next April (as we march into the playoffs) I think the defense is where Lindy’s biggest impact will be felt.

This is very perceptive and probably the first time I’ve seen someone make this point.

Lindy has had great success with exactly the type of personnel he’s being given on the blueline. It’s almost tailor-made for his system.

Dahlin, Clifton and Jokiharju now veterans, Power, Byram and Samuelsson are getting closer to that 200-game threshold. This should become the strength of the team and this is a coach who can exploit that.

 

2 hours ago, Carmel Corn said:

I think (hope) he will have the team READY to start the season, unlike Granato.  He will use training camp to prepare the team to have a good start, instead of Granato using it to look at prospects.

This I think this would have been a thing regardless after last year, but I think the 25 or so players most likely to be playing NHL games next year won’t be seeing a lot of the other 25 in training camp.

It’s probably going to be a frustrating fall for most of the prospect pool.

Edited April 24 by dudacek

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

This is more important to the team than a lot of people realize.

I brought up in season how the players felt the disdain and it affected them.

Got a lot of pushback that amounted to “if true they need to suck it up.”

They did need to, but that doesn’t make it not true.

 

This is very perceptive and probably the first time I’ve seen someone make this point.

Lindy has had great success with exactly the type of personnel he’s being given on the blueline. It’s almost tailor-made for his system.

Dahlin, Clifton and Jokiharju now veterans, Power, Byram and Samuelsson are getting closer to that 200-game threshold. This should become the strength of the team and this is a coach who can exploit that.

 

This I think this would have been a thing regardless after last year, but I think the 25 or so players most likely to be playing NHL games next year won’t be seeing a lot of the other 25 in training camp.

It’s probably going to be a frustrating fall for most of the prospect pool.

 

7 minutes ago, Thorny said:

There’s honestly several areas of need, but imo by far the 2 we need to see go right are:

- a legit 3C. Not a 3C/4C tweeter but a legitimate C more in the mould of “middle 6”, if anything. Our top 2 guys are well slotted imo but not so secure in their relative status league wide in those positions to make upgrading the third guy anything other than mandatory. We need to upgrade at C merely so as to keep the output at that position safely “acceptable”, at a break even point of sorts where our strengths in other areas (D?) can hopefully be an x-factor. Without a 3C add, any roster areas where we have advantages relative to other teams probably just go towards digging out of a hole. We’d be an incomplete team without it: the Mittelstadt trade was clearly half of a re-shape 

-2nd thing isn’t an add, it’s a lack of one: keep rookies scarce or non-existent. Equally important.

- - - 

I’m not saying addressing these two things means we are all set, there’s more we need to do, just that I think missing on either of these likely represents an auto L. In truth there’s also another layer of additions to mould further from playoff contender to cup contender but WAY too much cart before horse to even go there yet. There’s are few more things we need for this year besides the two I mentioned, but i’m certainly not saying they need to think about that “next layer” yet. 

I like that we posted these on different threads so closely together, both points go hand in hand both times. Defence can and will be the strength that separates us, if the forwards/centre spine are merely par. We don’t need immaculate additions at forward just something reasonable from KA and Ruff

And, if next year is frustrating for the prospect pool, that covers my entire second point 

[RochesterExpat]

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I look at Dahlin, Power, Mule, Byram, and the others and I see a bunch of talented kids desperate for a coach who truly understands 2 way D play and that is Ruff

I agree it’s going to be the defense. 

As for specific players, it’s going to kick open the door for Novikov to fight for a roster spot because he is the type of D-man that Lindy loves. If Novikov plays well during the playoffs and comes to camp prepared, I will not be surprised to see him earn a roster spot. Even if it’s as the 7th D. One of the changes I see is Lindy is going to put an end to “it’s better to have a weaker player on the NHL roster so the stronger player can get more ice time in the AHL.” That’s not how it was handled in NJ. I don’t expect it to be different in Buffalo. You build the roster to in win first and foremost.

The other player I think will be the boom or bust will be Clifton. He did well in Boston’s system and started to get his feet under him after a pretty bad start to the season. I look forward to seeing him under Ruff and back to playing on a team with a system where he has an explicit role.

I also have a strangely optimistic feeling about Peyton Krebs next season. If he is on the Sabres, I can see him finding a real role with expectations under Ruff. Not just a “we’re not sure where to put you so welcome to the fourth line” spot.

[MISabresFan]

17 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

This is very perceptive and probably the first time I’ve seen someone make this point.

Lindy has had great success with exactly the type of personnel he’s being given on the blueline. It’s almost tailor-made for his system.

Dahlin, Clifton and Jokiharju now veterans, Power, Byram and Samuelsson are getting closer to that 200-game threshold. This should become the strength of the team and this is a coach who can exploit that.

 

This I think this would have been a thing regardless after last year, but I think the 25 or so players most likely to be playing NHL games next year won’t be seeing a lot of the other 25 in training camp.

It’s probably going to be a frustrating fall for most of the prospect pool.

FYI - average age of the roster Lindy had with the 112 point Devils was 25.2.  Three players over 30 - only one with any type of contribution Tatar with 20 goals.  

 

Defensmen

 

Edited April 24 by MISabresFan

[Believer]

30 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I guess we'll find out.

Ruff said discipline will be applied to ice time minutes… He can also choose to not dress a player and have him watch from the press box (worked wonders with Thompson last season)… It’s really the only practical leverage a Coach has. Suppose fines in certain situations could apply as well…

Then there is the relationship side of applying consequences… Tough love… The tough part is easy… The love part requires genuine caring and finesse with modern players… Know as an old guy myself I’m much more attuned to the caring side of the transaction today… Could be wrong, but got the impression Ruff is attuned to communicating and working effectively with young players.

[LGR4GM]

15 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

I agree it’s going to be the defense. 

As for specific players, it’s going to kick open the door for Novikov to fight for a roster spot because he is the type of D-man that Lindy loves. If Novikov plays well during the playoffs and comes to camp prepared, I will not be surprised to see him earn a roster spot. Even if it’s as the 7th D. One of the changes I see is Lindy is going to put an end to “it’s better to have a weaker player on the NHL roster so the stronger player can get more ice time in the AHL.” That’s not how it was handled in NJ. I don’t expect it to be different in Buffalo. You build the roster to in win first and foremost.

The other player I think will be the boom or bust will be Clifton. He did well in Boston’s system and started to get his feet under him after a pretty bad start to the season. I look forward to seeing him under Ruff and back to playing on a team with a system where he has an explicit role.

I also have a strangely optimistic feeling about Peyton Krebs next season. If he is on the Sabres, I can see him finding a real role with expectations under Ruff. Not just a “we’re not sure where to put you so welcome to the fourth line” spot.

Novikov is currently the 7th LHD. Dahlin, Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Johnson, Bryson, and then Novikov. We could argue that Novikov is ahead of Bryson but no higher. With Clifton and Jokiharju still here that puts him at best 8th on the depth chart and letting Novikov rot in the press box makes little sense. My point is they need 2 defense additions and they need to make sure Novikov is nothing but an emergency callup next year. He won't even be 21 until the end of July. In 2025, sure we can see where he is but this plan of Adams of giving kids a cup of coffee in Rochester and then sending them up and making sure he leaves a spot for them needs to die. If ANYONE currently in Rochester or Jrs makes the Sabres in 2024, Adams failed miserably in the offseason. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

10 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

I agree it’s going to be the defense. 

As for specific players, it’s going to kick open the door for Novikov to fight for a roster spot because he is the type of D-man that Lindy loves. If Novikov plays well during the playoffs and comes to camp prepared, I will not be surprised to see him earn a roster spot. Even if it’s as the 7th D. One of the changes I see is Lindy is going to put an end to “it’s better to have a weaker player on the NHL roster so the stronger player can get more ice time in the AHL.” That’s not how it was handled in NJ. I don’t expect it to be different in Buffalo. You build the roster to in win first and foremost.

The other player I think will be the boom or bust will be Clifton. He did well in Boston’s system and started to get his feet under him after a pretty bad start to the season. I look forward to seeing him under Ruff and back to playing on a team with a system where he has an explicit role.

I also have a strangely optimistic feeling about Peyton Krebs next season. If he is on the Sabres, I can see him finding a real role with expectations under Ruff. Not just a “we’re not sure where to put you so welcome to the fourth line” spot.

I have become a fan of Novikov as well.  He has a skill set that would be a nice addition to the Sabres D group long-term.  As I mentioned in another thread making the D group next fall is going to be hard unless KA uses some of our excess LHD to add depth elsewhere.  Still, I’d love to see him make a run at a roster spot.

As to Krebs, under Ruff even a 4th line job could be a good position.  Ruff wants to roll 4 capable lines. Guys like Gaustad and Hecht thrived in his system in the past.  My worry with Krebs is that he doesn’t have the drive of guys like Hecht and Gaustad.  Maybe his attendance at the presser is a good sign of a new player.

 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, RochesterExpat said:

I agree it’s going to be the defense. 

As for specific players, it’s going to kick open the door for Novikov to fight for a roster spot because he is the type of D-man that Lindy loves. If Novikov plays well during the playoffs and comes to camp prepared, I will not be surprised to see him earn a roster spot. Even if it’s as the 7th D. One of the changes I see is Lindy is going to put an end to “it’s better to have a weaker player on the NHL roster so the stronger player can get more ice time in the AHL.” That’s not how it was handled in NJ. I don’t expect it to be different in Buffalo. You build the roster to in win first and foremost.

The other player I think will be the boom or bust will be Clifton. He did well in Boston’s system and started to get his feet under him after a pretty bad start to the season. I look forward to seeing him under Ruff and back to playing on a team with a system where he has an explicit role..

Clifton had a very rough start that I’m going to chalk up to bad luck and system adjustment. He was a capable 3rd pairing guy in the new year.

I don’t see Novikov having any role on the team next year simply because the coach - who just hinted that he lost his job largely to having too many rookie defencemen - isn’t going to want to lose points having Nikita learn the lessons Clifton and Jokiharju have already learned.

 

1 hour ago, MISabresFan said:

FYI - average age of the roster Lindy had with the 112 point Devils was 25.2.  Three players over 30 - only one with any type of contribution Tatar with 20 goals.  

That Devils team has a lot in common with this Sabres team.

The Sabres don’t have Hughes, but the Devils didn’t have goaltending.

Edited April 24 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

I have become a fan of Novikov as well.  He has a skill set that would be a nice addition to the Sabres D group long-term.  As I mentioned in another thread making the D group next fall is going to be hard unless KA uses some of our excess LHD to add depth elsewhere.  Still, I’d love to see him make a run at a roster spot.

As to Krebs, under Ruff even a 4th line job could be a good position.  Ruff wants to roll 4 capable lines. Guys like Gaustad and Hecht thrived in his system in the past.  My worry with Krebs is that he doesn’t have the drive of guys like Hecht and Gaustad.  Maybe his attendance at the presser is a good sign of a new player.

 

No. Adams needs to add veteran players that already know how the NHL works for next season. Enough of this making room for the kids crap. 

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Novikov is currently the 7th LHD. Dahlin, Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Johnson, Bryson, and then Novikov. We could argue that Novikov is ahead of Bryson but no higher. With Clifton and Jokiharju still here that puts him at best 8th on the depth chart and letting Novikov rot in the press box makes little sense. My point is they need 2 defense additions and they need to make sure Novikov is nothing but an emergency callup next year. He won't even be 21 until the end of July. In 2025, sure we can see where he is but this plan of Adams of giving kids a cup of coffee in Rochester and then sending them up and making sure he leaves a spot for them needs to die. If ANYONE currently in Rochester or Jrs makes the Sabres in 2024, Adams failed miserably in the offseason. 

I mean Kulich, Rosen and Savoie are players who, in most situations, have earned an opportunity.

But I agree with this. They aren’t what we need in the bottom 6.

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I have become a fan of Novikov as well.  He has a skill set that would be a nice addition to the Sabres D group long-term.  As I mentioned in another thread making the D group next fall is going to be hard unless KA uses some of our excess LHD to add depth elsewhere.  Still, I’d love to see him make a run at a roster spot.

As to Krebs, under Ruff even a 4th line job could be a good position.  Ruff wants to roll 4 capable lines. Guys like Gaustad and Hecht thrived in his system in the past.  My worry with Krebs is that he doesn’t have the drive of guys like Hecht and Gaustad.  Maybe his attendance at the presser is a good sign of a new player.

 

I have never got a whiff of Krebs lacking in drive at all. Quite the opposite.

What he seems to lack is an NHL identity.

I always got the sense he was the guy Donnie never quite got around to.

Very interested to see if he develops under Lindy because I think there is potential for a connection.