Lindy Ruff’s second stint with the Buffalo Sabres has been challenging, as the team has only accumulated 64 points through 70 games in the 2024-25 NHL season. However, Tuesday night brought a reason to celebrate. In addition to securing a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators at KeyBank Center, the Sabres witnessed Ruff reach a historic coaching milestone.
“600 Sabres regular-season wins for Coach Lindy Ruff,” the team announced on X following the game.
Ruff, who has 893 career NHL coaching wins, earned the majority of them during his first tenure with Buffalo from 1997-98 to 2012-13, leading the team to 571 victories. After his dismissal in 2013, he went on to coach the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils. When New Jersey let him go in 2024, the Sabres brought him back for another run behind the bench.
Unaware of the milestone at the time, the 65-year-old coach reflected on the achievement. “I really wasn’t aware of it,” Ruff told ESPN. “But obviously, it feels good. Just to get the win tonight, it felt good. … I’ve been fortunate, a lot of good people around me that have helped throughout the years. And [there’s been] unbelievable fan support here in this building.”
Ruff is now just the second coach in NHL history to record at least 600 wins with a single franchise. Only Al Arbour, who guided the New York Islanders to 740 wins, has more with one team.
