Former WHL player Lindy Ruff named Buffalo Sabres Head Coach

Buffalo, N.Y.- Former Lethbridge Broncos defenceman Lindy Ruff has been named Head Coach of the Buffalo Sabres, General Manager Kevyn Adams announced Monday.

Ruff, the fifth-winningest coach in NHL history, previously served as Head Coach of the Sabres from 1997-2013.

“I am thankful to Terry, the Pegula family, and Kevyn Adams for this opportunity,” Ruff said. “This is a team ready to take the next step. I am both humbled and honored to be trusted to help this team win now. It is not a job that I take lightly. It is my goal to ensure that players believe in each other, play for each other and love being a Buffalo Sabre. There is no doubt that we all need to embrace the challenge ahead of us. The work starts today and I could not be more excited.”

The 64-year-old has 864 career regular-season wins behind the bench for Buffalo, Dallas and New Jersey and won the Jack Adams award as the NHL Coach of the Year in 2005-06 after leading the Sabres to a 110-point finish.

Ruff, who grew up southwest of Edmonton in Warburg, Alta., played parts of three seasons as a defenceman with the Lethbridge Broncos in the then-WCHL and WHL.

He captained the Broncos in 1978-79 and tallied 18 goals and 44 assists for 62 points in 92 games, suiting up alongside future NHL coaches like Darryl and Duane Sutter and executives like Steve Tambellini.

Ruff was selected by the Sabres in the second round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft and played parts of 10 seasons for the Sabres, including a stretch as team captain from 1986-87 until he was traded to the New York Rangers in 1989.

He’s tied for 15th in Sabres history with 608 games played.