Lindy Ruff coaching timeline: How Sabres' coach of last playoff team returned to get Buffalo back 15 years later originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The thing about it is, it's been a really long time since the Buffalo Sabres were in the playoffs.
They last played a postseason game in April 2011. It's now April 2026 and they're making their return.
Ruff was the head coach of Buffalo back then, and he is now -- but it hasn't been a straight line.
The now-66 Ruff took multiple detours in between, but it's fitting that he was the guy to bring Buffalo back to the postseason after all these years away.
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Ruff was an assistant coach of the Florida Panthers for three seasons. That included on the staff of the 1995-96 team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals.
He also would be New York Rangers assistant coach from 2017 through 2020.
They reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999 but lost to the Dallas Stars and Brett Hull.
They didn't make it close to that far again until reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in consecutive seasons in 2006 and 2007 but losing both times.
Ruff became the winningest coach to have only coached for one team when he won his 501st game in charge of the Sabres in 2011.
The Stars reached the playoffs for the first time in six years when Ruff got them there in 2014, but they lost in the first round.
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Ruff coached the Devils from 2020 through 2024. He was fired near the end of the 2023-24 season.
He did reach his 850th career coaching win late in his Devils tenure.
Ruff's hockey playing career began as the 32nd overall pick by the Sabres in 1979.
He elevated his way to being the Sabres' captain before also playing for the New York Rangers.
Ruff had 105 goals and 195 assists (300 points) in 691 NHL games. He also had 1,264 penalty minutes.
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