It took nearly ten years, but Lindy Ruff has escaped from beneath Dominik Hasek's shadow to show the hockey world just what type of hockey coach he really is. Make no mistake, the Sabres' 2005-06 run was not the result of superior talent. All year Ruff mixed and matched his players to overcome injury and the FA losses of several key veterans, giving confidence-boosting responsiblities to unproven youngsters such as Ryan Miller, Henrik Tallinder, Tim Connolly, and Brian Campbell. No one did more with less this season. Ruff and the Sabres truly exemplify the new direction the NHL must go in after the debilitating year-long strike of 2004-05.
