Devils sign head coach Ruff to multi-year extension

The New Jersey Devils are rewarding head coach Lindy Ruff with a multi-year contract extension, the club announced Wednesday.

Ruff was a Jack Adams Award finalist last season after he guided the Devils to the NHL's third-best record. The veteran bench boss helped New Jersey reel off a 13-game win streak from late October to late November. He led the turnaround after fans infamously chanted "Fire Lindy" following a slow start.

The 63-year-old ranks fifth in NHL history in games coached and wins, though he has the third-most losses and a winning percentage of .487. Ruff won the Jack Adams in 2006 with the Buffalo Sabres, finished second in 2007, and placed third in 2016.

He coached the Sabres for 15 seasons beginning in 1997-98, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final in his second year behind the bench. He joined the Dallas Stars in 2013-14, coaching them for four seasons. New Jersey hired him for the abbreviated 2021 campaign.

Ruff is 98-98-24 since taking the reins with the Devils. New Jersey made it to the second round of the playoffs in 2022-23 after missing out for four straight seasons and qualifying only once in a 10-year span following a Cup Final appearance in 2011-12.