Lindy Ruff May Be Burning Out In Dallas

The Dallas Stars were hoping that bringing in Lindy Ruff would change things for the better. With less than desired success; Ruff may be on the chipping block. I’m sorry Stars fans but, if you did any research in Lindy Ruff you would have noticed the man has a career coaching record of 637-485-78-103 that gives him a .558 winning percentage. As much a Ruff brings a lunch box mentality to a locker room he doesn’t bring Stanley Cups. Something the Buffalo Sabres learned the hard way.

There are a lot of reasons to keep Ruff behind the bench in Dallas. There has been a run on injuries to big name players, and then there is the little problem with goaltending. Dallas has had the unlucky problem of not having a starting goaltender put up starting numbers.

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It’s hard to win when you combined SV% is .872 and a minus four goal differential. Basically nothing is working in Dallas.

But, in all reality Lindy Ruff is not a Western Conference coach. He has been in the east for all but two years of his head coaching career, and now two years into his time with the Stars his team cannot compete. Dallas is five points off the Wild Card pace, and is showing no real signs of life. Anyone who has been around Lindy will say he is a great guy, but being a great guy and being a Stanley Cup caliber coach are two different things.

Dallas is doing nothing that Sabres fans haven’t loved with; they are hanging around the playoffs with a little hope still remaining. If there is a late season push Stars fans will understand the frustration that flowed through Buffalo for so long. Ruff’s coaching style is harsh, and at time abrupt. He

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doesn’t mind using the media to call out players and that doesn’t work well in today’s NHL.

In 17 years as a head coach Lindy Ruff has been a part of the post season nine times. His record with the stars is a combined 66-55-19; not much better than a coin flip, and that’s just how it works with Lindy.

Simply sneaking into the playoffs this season will not be enough to keep Lindy Ruff for sitting on the hot seat for all of the off season, and if Ruff is not fired after this season his name will show up early on as one of the first coaches that will be let go next year.

One saving grace for Lindy is the success of the Nashville Predators. It goes to prove with the right mix of talent and coaching and a real NHL goaltender everything can be turned around in a year. Taking all of the injuries and the lack of goaltending this season and maybe Ruff gets one more year to make the Stars a contender.