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| 1979 NHL DRAFT PICK |
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Lindy Ruff
Selected in second round
No.
32 overall by Buffalo Sabres
Born February 17,
1960
 | Position:
Defense / Left Wing
Height: 6-2 Weight:
190
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Lethbridge (WHL)
Birthplace: Warburg, Alberta (Canada)
Hometown:
Warburg, Alberta |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1976-77 |
Taber | AJHL |
60 | 13 |
33 | 46 |
112 | | |
Lethbridge | WCHL |
2 | 0 |
2 | 2 |
0 | | 1977-78 |
Lethbridge | WCHL |
66 | 9 |
24 | 33 |
219 | | 1978-79 |
Lethbridge | WHL |
24 | 9 |
18 | 27 |
108 |
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PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
Lethbridge Kobal Trophy (Sportsmanship/Dedication): 1978-79
Miscellaneous: Missed most of 1978-79 season with
broken thigh, an injury that caused
him to drop in the draft because teams were concerned he might never be able
to play again. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 11, 1979 (Washington at
Buffalo)
Numbers: 22 (Buffalo); 44 (N.Y. Rangers)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status: Retired June 1993 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1979-1991 |
Buffalo, N.Y. Rangers | 691 |
105 | 195 |
300 | 1,264 |
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| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1980-1990 |
Buffalo, N.Y. Rangers | 52 |
11 | 13 |
24 | 193 |
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NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Jack Adams Award (Coach of Year): 2005-06
(Buffalo)
All-Star Game: 1999, 2007 (as head coach)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1996 (Florida) (as assistant coach),
1999 (Buffalo) (as head coach)
Buffalo Seventh Player Award: 1983-84
Buffalo Hunt Trophy (Rookie
of Year): 1979-80
Buffalo Captain: Nov. 24, 1986, until Feb. 13, 1989
Buffalo
Records: Most career coaching victories (216), most career playoff
coaching victories (32), most coaching victories in one playoff year (14 in
1999), most playoff games coached (54)
Buffalo Playoffs Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1982 (28), 1983 (47)
Coaching
Career: Served as unofficial Buffalo assistant coach for remainder of
1986-87 season after breaking clavicle in February 1987. ... Named Florida
assistant coach prior to team's inaugural 1993-94 season on July 29, 1993, and
remained in that position until July 21, 1997. ... Named Buffalo head coach on
July 21, 1997, and remained in that position through 2006-07 season.
Miscellaneous: Scored goal in his first game when he shot puck into
empty net with 1:06 remaining in Buffalo's 6-3 win over Washington. ... Played
left wing for Buffalo during 1980 playoffs. ... Was first teen-ager in Buffalo
history to make team out of training camp and play a full season with Sabres.
... Fought N.Y. Islanders goalie Billy Smith during Buffalo's final 1980
playoff game on May 10, 1980. ... Missed part of 1980-81 season with broken
ankle, an injury suffered in December 1980. ... Began playing left wing on a
full-time basis during 1980-81 season. ... Missed parts of 1982-83 season with
sprained ankle and with broken hand, an injury suffered in March 1983. ...
Played left wing exclusively in 1982-83 and 1983-84, and would be primarily a
left wing for the rest of his career. ... Missed parts of 1983-84 season with
broken bone in foot, an injury suffered while blocking a shot during Buffalo's
Oct. 5, 1983, season-opener vs. Hartford, and with shoulder injury, suffered
during Buffalo's Jan. 14, 1984, game at Detroit. ... Missed half of 1984-85
season with separated shoulder, an injury suffered during Buffalo's Oct. 26,
1984, game at Detroit. He returned from the injury on Nov. 21, 1984, but then
required surgery in early December. ... Missed parts of 1985-86 season with
broken foot, an injury suffered during Buffalo's Nov. 30, 1985, game at
Toronto, and with bruised knee, an injury suffered during Buffalo's Dec. 29,
1985, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ... Missed remainder of 1985-86 season with
broken left clavicle, an injury suffered during Buffalo's March 5, 1986, game
at Hartford. The injury required surgery. ... Replaced Gilbert Perreault as
Buffalo captain after Perreault retired. ... Missed remainder of 1986-87
season with broken clavicle, an injury suffered during Buffalo's Feb. 14,
1987, game at N.Y. Islanders. ... Buffalo's nominee for 1986-87 Masterton
Trophy. ... Moved back to defense in January 1988, playing remainder of his
career at that position. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season with shoulder
sprain, suffered in November 1988. ... Resigned as Buffalo captain on Feb. 13,
1989, after having been benched for Buffalo's Feb. 10, 1990, game vs.
Vancouver. ... Missed parts of 1989-90 season with
fractured rib, an injury suffered in N.Y. Rangers' Jan. 23, 1990,
game at Edmonton, and with broken nose, suffered when checked by Lou Franceschetti
in N.Y. Rangers' March 21, 1990, game vs. Toronto. ...
Missed start of 1990 playoffs with bruised left thigh, an injury suffered in April 1990. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams: Rochester (AHL); San Diego
(IHL)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
IHL All-Star Game: 1993 (San Diego)
San Diego Captain: 1992-93
1992-93: Played on IHL
regular-season champion (San Diego).
Coaching Career: Named
Rochester (AHL) player-assistant coach in September 1991 and remained in that
position through 1991-92 season. ... Named San Diego player-assistant coach
prior to 1992-93 season and remained in that position through 1992-93 season.
Miscellaneous: Did not play his
first minor-league game until age 31 when he spent 1991-92 season with
Rochester (AHL). ... Shared home with
Mike Ramsey during his first five seasons in Buffalo.
Personal: Full
name is Lindy Cameron Ruff. ... Younger brother of former major-junior player
and coach Randy Ruff. ... Older brother of former minor-leaguer Marty Ruff and
former major-junior player Brent Ruff, killed in Swift Current team bus
accident in December 1986. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE: Buffalo traded Ruff to N.Y. Rangers for 1990 fifth-round pick (Richard Smehlik) on March 7, 1989. Buffalo got Ruff back when he signed with Sabres as an
unrestricted free agent in September 1991. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '79 | | Total Selected: |
126 | | Forwards: |
74 | | Defense: |
41 | | Goaltenders: |
11 | | Major Junior: |
97 | | College Players: |
15 |
| Canadian: |
109 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
1 | | USA Citizens: |
10 | | U.S.-Born: |
10 |
| European: |
6 |
| Reached NHL: |
103 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
23 | | Hall of Fame: |
3 |
| All-Star Game: |
23 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
10 |
| Olympians: |
15 |
| Picks Traded: |
17 |
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