Lindy Ruff apparently is a serious candidate for New Jersey Devils job

Can Lindy Ruff be the answer for the Devils?

As the New Jersey Devils look to reboot with a new general manager and head coach, a list of notable coaching candidates have come (Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette, Mike Babcock, Bruce Boudreau, John Stevens). So it was pretty easy to set aside a report last week from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting former Buffalo and Dallas head coach Lindy Ruff is a candidate for the job.

But in his most recent “31 Thoughts” column, Friedman said Ruff has a legit shot to get the job in New Jersey.

Ruff is currently an assistant coach with the New York Rangers. But he had a long run as the Sabres head coach from 1997-2013, followed by a 2013-2017 run as the Stars head coach. His 736 regular-season wins are sixth all-time, with a 57-44 career playoff record, three division titles and one Stanley Cup Final appearance (1999 with Buffalo).

The Devils don’t have a full-time general manager in place right now. Interim Tom Fitzgerald is conducting the coaching search while his fate is unclear, and as permanent GM candidates are reportedly being interviewed by ownership. A new general manager will surely want a say in who the next coach is, but Friedman passed along an indication that Ruff is in the mix for the job no matter what.

The NHL recycles head coaches as virtually no other sport does, so it’s no surprise to see a list of familiar names on the Devils’ wish list. But Ruff has the resume to put himself in the mix for any opportunities, and he can be a little picky in search of the right fit. If that next opportunity for him is ultimately not in New Jersey, the list of possibilities could include the Seattle expansion team in short order.