On Tuesday (April 23), the Buffalo Sabres officially re-introduced Lindy Ruff as their next head coach, and whether it was Ruff talking about the talent on this team, the need for commitment and connection from the start of training camp, or getting to the next level, there were many takeaways from his Tuesday press conference at KeyBank Center.
Now, it’s time to get to work. Here are three Sabres would could thrive under their new bench boss.
Rasmus Dahlin
During his introductory presser, Ruff went out of his way to mention the Sabres’ goaltending and a defence that starts with Rasmus Dahlin (73 points in 2022-23). That same season, Ruff’s New Jersey Devils won 52 games, and a playoff round thanks (in large part) to Dougie Hamilton (who also had a 70-point campaign). Now back with the Sabres, Ruff will get to coach another elite defender; the question, though is if can he get the 2018 first-overall pick to another level. Paul Hamilton weighs in:
“As far as young defensemen go, he’s not even in the same hemisphere as Quinn Hughes, he’s not even in the same hemisphere as (Cale) Makar, and I’ll be very interested to see what Lindy Ruff can do with Rasmus Dahlin. Not that Rasmus Dahlin is bad, but I think there’s a lot more there, and the question is can Lindy Ruff unlock that?”
Paul Hamilton – 04/23/2024
Ruff may also consider Dahlin for the Sabres’ captaincy. It’s a role that the 24-year-old says he’s ready for.
Tage Thompson
On Wednesday (April 24), Ruff talked about Thompson on Sabres Live, saying that in 2022-23 (while with the Devils), he identified Thompson as a player his team needed to shut down because of the season he was having (47 goals and 94 points). At the same time, many eyes were also on Devils’ forward Jack Hughes (99 points in 2022-23), who praised Ruff publicly and proved that the veteran head coach is good with young players.
The fact that a mere five points separated Thompson and Hughes in 2022-23 is something that has to excite Ruff even though Thompson regressed offensively this season, ending with 29 goals and 56 points. However, injuries played a large role in that regard, and down the stretch, Thompson looked more like himself. The star center has all the tools to become a 50-goal scorer and 100-point producer in the NHL. The question is: can Ruff get him there?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
The best story of the Sabres’ 2023-24 season has to be Luukkonen, who the Sabres are reportedly trying to extend (per Elliotte Friedman), and with Ruff — who had the likes of Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller in Buffalo — Paul Hamilton had to ask, “so who’s your goaltender, Lindy”? To which he responded:
“I’ve got it down to three letters … UPL.”
Lindy Ruff – 04/23/2024
How refreshing, if you’re Luukkonen, is it to hear that from your new man behind the bench? Under former head coach Don Granato, the belief was that Devon Levi was his first choice despite the terrific season Luukkonen was having. Therefore, unless Levi outperforms him in camp, it’s clear as to which goaltender Ruff will lean on.
Related: 3 Sabres Players Who Might Struggle Under Lindy Ruff
A couple of honorable mentions for players who could benefit under Ruff would include Alex Tuch, who was clearly excited about the potential of playing for him as someone who grew up watching Ruff coach the Sabres. The other would be Zach Benson. On Tuesday, we heard Ruff say 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 a ton of skill, high hockey IQ, and is someone who impresses his teammates as an 18-year-old. It’ll be interesting to see how the relationship between Benson and Ruff evolves.
The Sabres have an experienced head coach who will hold them accountable, so now we wait to see which players will thrive, and which ones won’t.
