Another Ruff Ride? Buffalo Sabres Pick Up One-Year Option on Lindy Ruff

The Buffalo Sabres have already begun to rebuild just three days after they were upset by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2010 NHL playoffs.

The Sabres announced on Thursday that they would be picking up the one-year option to keep head coach Lindy Ruff in Buffalo for a 13th straight season.

Ruff and general manager Darcy Regier were both called into question by many of the Buffalo faithful after another promising season ended in disappointment.

“Any notion that they’re not going to be part of the process of us getting there, let’s dispel that now,” Sabres minority owner Larry Quinn told the Associated Press of Ruff and Regier.

In 12 seasons and 984 games with the Sabres, Ruff has a regular season record of 483-361-78-62. He has a playoff record of 54-40.

Buffalo has made the playoffs seven times during Ruff’s command, winning their division twice in the process, as well as the President’s Trophy as the league’s top team during the regular season in the 2006-07 season.

While the team has done fairly well under Ruff’s watch, there is still no Stanley Cup to show for it, and the Buffalo fans are becoming restless.

But Ruff is not completely to blame, as Regier has let several key components slip away from the organization over the last few seasons.

Chris Drury and Danny Briere left after Regier failed to offer them proper contracts during the successful 2007 campaign, and Brian Campbell was eventually traded the following season due to a similar situation.

However, as Quinn said, both Ruff and Regier will be around for the rebuilding process—a process which Regier has acknowledged.

“I will try to be busy, yes,” Regier told the Associated Press about his plans for the offseason. “Yes, I think we have to make some changes. What exactly they will consist of, it’s too early to know.”

There is a lot of speculation as to what Regier may do in the offseason, but only time will tell as the Sabres prepare for the future.