Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres announced on Wednesday the signing of head coach Lindy Ruff to a two-year contract extension. Ruff was working this past season on the final year of his current contract with the team.
Ruff led the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 15 years this season, taking the team to Game 7 of the second round against the Montreal Canadiens.
Before Buffalo went on its historic run starting on Dec. 9, they were in last place in the Eastern Conference. From that point on, they were the best team in the NHL, going 39-9-5. That finish helped the Sabres to a second-place finish in the conference, and first place in the Atlantic Division.
Buffalo then beat the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs in six games, before losing to Montreal in overtime of Game 7.
Ruff has also been named a 2026 finalist for the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year in the NHL. He won that award in 2006 during his first tenure as head coach of the Sabres.
This year’s team reached the 50 wins mark for only the third time in franchise history.
In this year’s playoffs, it seemed like every move Ruff made to his roster was the right one. That included inserting Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius, Luke Schenn and Zach Metsa into the lineup at different points of the postseason. He also had to make tough decisions on goalies, which, again, usually worked out.
Entering the 2026-27 season, his 26th season as a head coach in the league, Ruff is fourth all-time in wins (950) among coaches, trailing only Paul Maurice (956 - active), Joel Quenneville (1,012 - active) and Scotty Bowman (1,244).
Ruff and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will be speaking Wednesday around 4:00, which you can hear live during “Schopp and the Bulldog” on WGR.
