The worm has turned. The weeks of speculation will finally materialize in a job interview for Lindy Ruff with the NY Rangers.
As ESPN NYs Katie Strang tweeted earlier today, the Buffalo Sabres have indeed granted their permission to their former head coach, Lindy ruff, to interview for the Rangers' head coaching job.
When will Ruff interview with the Rangers? Don't know for sure right now. Rags GM Glen sather and his lieutenants are presently involved in organizational meetings in La Quinta, California.
Ruff has been out of work since the Sabres fired him in mid February after an ugly beginning to the lockout shortened season. He coach Team Canada at the recently concluded IIHF World Hockey Championships in Helsinki and Stockholm.
Will Ruff be staying in New York State afterall to coach the Rangers? Don''t forget that Ruff and former Sabres assistant coach James Patrick played together in Manhattan for the Blueshirts.
Ruff was traded from Buffalo to NYR after he played 63 games with the Sabres in 1988-89. He would go on to play 93 games (10 playoff tilts) with Rangers between 1989-90, 1990-91. Ruff knows NYC, and vice versa. I think his no nonsense attitude will be well received by Ranger fans. Especially when the Rangers do battle with the soon to be Brooklyn Islanders, the hated NJ Devils, and the always despised Philly Flyers.
Ruff and his family will always call Buffalo home. Its been that way for nearly 30 of his 53 years on the planet. If offered the Rangers bench boss job, and he accepts (why wouldn't he?), Ruff will have the best of both worlds:.
1). A loaded team that his chock fill o' all-star caliber under achievers.
Chalk it up to a bad 48 game season. The Rangers can and will be a better team when it hires a new head coach. Richards, Nash, Callahan, Lundqvist, McDonagh, Del Zotto and the rest of the Rangers will snap to it ASAP when Lindy's spirit fills the locker room and practice ice. He'll hug thise that need it and will give a foot wedge in the ass to others who ask for it. Thats how it goes in the NHL. Ruff will fine tune the Rangers Ferrari and get it back to running at 9,000 RPMs and back to the top of the NHL standings in no time flat.
2). Ruff's wife and kids can stay in their home in Clarence, NY. Dad will be a par 3 away, via 45 minute Jet Blue airlines flight.
Ruff interviewed with Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill while in Toronto for the NHL Combine two weeks ago. He is slated to meet with the Stars again, after Nill has meetings with other head coaching prospects, Alain Vigneault and Willie Desjardins.
The Vancouver Canucks will also be asking for permission to interview Ruff in the near future.
More to come....
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