Dallas Stars Off-Season Series Part 5 : Lindy Ruff

              

By Sara Townley

Part 5 – Lindy Ruff

photo courtesy of nhl.com 

               

               Are the rumors of Ray “The Wizard” Whitney’s possible retirement true?  Which guys will be tested in trade waters?  Will Rich Peverley return?  How will last year’s rookies improve over the summer now that the first year is under their belts? – All questions that will soon be answered and could change the lineups we've come to love.  But before we leave this season in the past and place all of our focus onto the next, there’s one last thing I believe is worth mentioning.  Although there are plenty of other elements and people important to the Stars and their success this season, none made a better impression than Lindy Ruff.

                

               

photo by Sara Townley

               To say it simply, he’s a mastermind.  Witnessing him coaching the Stars for the first time in September at the Fort Worth Convention Center during pre-season practice was impressive to say the least. Sure, he made me laugh while running their drills when the only phrase you could hear him repeat was “Let’s Go Boys!” in between whistles – I can’t explain why I thought it was so funny, because every coach of every team runs drills similar to these and has to talk his team through them somehow.  It just had a certain charm to it and seemed almost iconic.  That phrase became a household saying on Stars game nights and a cheer my dad would use when the guys would prepare to take the first faceoff.  I soon realized that coach Ruff’s personality was perfect for these Stars and if you couldn’t tell by the guys’ interactions with him, you definitely noticed it in the way they played.

               

               Lindy obviously knows this game like the back of his hand and has the ability to read each player. He pushes them to achieve what he knows they are capable of, even if they do not know it themselves. He’s also gutsy and that’s something we haven’t seen around here in a while.  Line manipulation is a strength of his, along with his intelligence when it comes to choosing who to surround himself with, given that the rest of the coaching staff seemed to excel with him around.  If there is nothing else that impresses you about Lindy Ruff, as a Stars fan, let it be his decision making in the area of leadership.  Ruff assigned the Captain name to Jamie Benn at the start of the season, and I believe that set the tone for every single player.  Top notch choice and Lindy knew it.  He knew exactly how well it would work out for the Stars, just like he knew what Dallas needed in order to shine.

                

               It’s more than just experience as a player and coach that makes Lindy so great.  It’s a combination of passion, personality, drive, and real faith in his players that makes him spectacular.  He found his stride here in his Dallas and is now the father of the Stars family.  Although there are many others who deserve recognition for all of the hard work they've put in for this time, including Tom Gaglardi and Jim Nill, there’s no denying the impact Lindy Ruff had this year.

                

photo by Sara Townley

               With the NHL draft being just a couple short weeks away and the July 1^st free agency date looming near, the off-season is about to begin heating up – a sign the start of next season is approaching. Looking ahead, I see this Stars team picking up where they left off; at the start of something great with even more success to come.  I expect the atmosphere in the AAC to thrive, which could lead to creating an incredible home-ice advantage, one that every team dreams of, but none deserve more than these Dallas Stars. (Props to Jeff K. and Michael Gruber for rockin’ the house every home game – the fans love you and you make this atmosphere possible!)  With other integral elements ready to go for next season such as the Stars broadcast team in Razor & Ralph being signed long term, The Ticket coverage with Bruce LeVine and Josh Bogorad set to continue on, and fans thirsting for more excellent hockey from the guys like we've had a pleasure of watching all season long, it seems as though the stage is already set for next season.

This year “a new star was rising” and now it’s here to stay.   Victory Green looks good on you, boys, and we’ll continue to wear it with pride.

See y'all in October! 

Sara Townley covers the Dallas Stars for the Texas Sports Review Follow her on Twitter @TexSR_StarsTalk

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