Rasmus Dahlin, Lindy Ruff Lands Jack Adams Finalist Spot
Rasmus Dahlin says there are no days off with Lindy Ruff behind the Sabres bench, and that standard now has Ruff among the Jack Adams Award finalists. Buffalo’s coach was named one of three finalists this week after steering the Sabres to their first playoff berth since 2011 and an Atlantic Division title with 109 points.
Ruff is joined by Pittsburgh’s Dan Muse and Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper. The winner is chosen by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association, with the award going annually to the coach judged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.
Ruff and the Sabres surge
The Sabres finished with 50 wins, their fifth-highest point total in franchise history, and they did it in the NHL’s toughest division. That division sent five teams to the playoffs and included six teams with 90-plus points, leaving little margin for error across the schedule.
Buffalo’s turnaround started on Dec. 9, when the team was in last place in the Eastern Conference and then beat Edmonton to begin a 10-game winning streak. From that point on, the Sabres had the most wins in the NHL with 39 and the league’s best points percentage at.783.
Dahlin, Samuelsson, and the standard
Dahlin’s words fit the way Buffalo described Ruff all season. “When it’s time, he turns it on, and there’s no f-ing around. You really have to bring it, otherwise you have to hear it, and that’s what I love. There’s no days off with him as coach, that’s for sure.”
Mattias Samuelsson said Ruff balances edge with support. “He’ll come in and tell you he’s gonna share the morning coffee and then let a couple guys hear it.” Samuelsson added, “It’s not like he’s personally going after guys, but he definitely puts the group on notice about the standard around here.”
Ruff’s reach showed beyond the standings, too. Dahlin took a leave of absence in December to be with his fiancée while she recovered from a heart transplant, and Ruff made sure the captain knew his family came first. Dahlin said, “It’s hard to explain, but he’s such a good man. He’s good with the personal stuff, too. He really cares about his players.”
Ruff’s fifth finalist nod
This is the fifth time Ruff has been named a finalist for the award. He previously won it in 2005-06 as Sabres coach and was also a finalist in 2006-07, 2015-16 and 2022-23.
Buffalo also tied for second in the NHL with 55 goals from the back end, with Dahlin, Samuelsson, Bowen Byram and Owen Power repeatedly joining the attack. Ruff has already delivered one Jack Adams once before; now he reaches the final vote after a season that took Buffalo from last in the East to the top of the Atlantic.
