Category: PostSports

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — What’s old is new again in Sabreland. Reprising the glory days of Buffalo hockey by rehiring the club’s all-time coaching wins leader, general manager Kevyn Adams was adamant about Lindy Ruff being the right man to lead the Sabres into a winning future.

From the surreality of forward-thinking nostalgia, here are some highlights from Ruff’s reintroductory press conference Tuesday.

‘Accountability is a big word’

A concept that coach Don Granato struggled to implement and explain during his disappointing final season behind the Sabres bench turned into a postseason theme. Granato was held to account for Buffalo’s inability to end the longest playoff drought in NHL, and several players spoke of the new for greater accountability in the dressing room during their exit interviews.

“A lot of times this year we got away with some stuff that we shouldn’t have gotten away with,” top-line center Tage Thompson said. “We felt comfortable maybe sometimes a little too much deviating from game plans.”

Ruff, whose 1,774 games as an NHL head coach rank fourth all-time, gave a clear summation of how accountability will factor into his Sabres renaissance.

“Accountability to me starts with the player himself,” Ruff said. “First thing he does is hold himself accountable. Did I do enough to get this team to where it needed to go? Before you can be accountable or look for accountability from somebody else, you’ve got to be accountable to yourself.”

Ruff acknowledged that doesn’t yell at players today as much as he might have when taking over the Sabres for the first time in 1997. But he maintains a tried and true method for holding players accountable, which Granato rarely employed.

“My biggest tool is to take ice time away,” Ruff said.

To that end, Ruff elaborated, “your best players should be on the ice at all key moments. Your top players should be the guys that lead the way. First, they’re accountable to themselves first. Accountability is a big word. Accountability starts with each player taking a look in the mirror.”

Return to better days

Alex Tuch grew up down the Thruway in Baldwinsville, cheering for the goatheaded Sabres during their run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2006-06 and Presidents Trophy winning season after, singing along to the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Better Days” tuned that soundtracked the era.

“I’ve probably watched Lindy coach about as many games as I’ve actually played or more than the amount of games I’ve played for the Sabres,” Tuch after cleaning out his locker last week. “He was my favorite coach growing up. Those were the teams that I watched, or sat on the couch and watched with my dad. To see what he was able to do with those teams was really cool. It was really special.”

The youngest team in the league over the past two seasons, the Sabres at times evoked the spirit that upstart team coming out of the 2005 lockout. Now with Ruff back behind the bench, there will be more comparisons to draw.

“This this team is so similar to where we were at back then,” Ruff said. “Deep with talent. It just we needed to play the game the right way.”

Ruff said he heard from former players Ryan Miller, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, receiving the message that, “you’re the guy that can get them there.” Wiser in retirement, those Sabres might not yet have realized Ruff’s virtue back in 2005.

“If you remember, I was pretty hard on like a Thomas Vanek,” Ruff said. “And Jason Pominville, we we actually waived him and sent him down just before he became the player he was.”

Ruff around the edges

Told of Tuch’s backing, Ruff joked Tuesday that the Sabres winger might feel differently once they get a week into training camp.

“You know what? Not everyone is going to love him and at times we’re all going to hate him,” Tuch said. “That’s what happens when you have a coach that asks a lot of you. With that is going to come a lot of success.”

Tuch indicated he is “super excited for the opportunity to be coached by such a legend,” and that his teammates will appreciate Ruff’s sometimes abrasive style.

“We’re pumped,” Tuch said. “I think he fits the mold of what we talked about as a team and just talking to individual guys about what we need to make it to that next level. I think he’s perfect for it and guys knew he was a serious candidate so we were talking about it. I’ve only talked to a few guys since it happened but we all think it’s going to work out for us.”

Ruff noted how his coaching methods have evolved since behind fired from the Sabres in 2011.

“The game has changed so much,” he said. “Lindy Ruff has changed so much.”

Evaluating himself during his time as an assistant with the New York Rangers, he vowed to communicate better with players, and to let go of losses easier when he returned to head coaching with the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils

“I actually laugh at some of my coaching style because a lot of things have changed,” Ruff said. “I won’t go into a lot of detail, but I’m a lot better coach now than I was when I left.”

Personal business

Ruff has now been part of the Sabres as a player or coach during every decade of the organizations history. He stayed connected to Buffalo during his time elsewhere, rooting for the Bills and returning regularly to area golf courses during the offseason. He was a prominent participant in last summer’s memorial for legendary broadcaster Rick Jeanneret.

“I’ve lived in this city and have owned a house in this city since 1979,” Ruff said. “So, I think I understand from my playing days to my coaching days what a successful team – and how great this city is when you have a successful hockey club. And really enjoyed all that time. Enjoyed that time as a player and enjoyed the time as a coach. It would mean a lot to have this group of players experience what I was able to experience as a player and as a coach.”

Ruff would also like the current Sabres players to experience something that eluded him during his first run as coach — winning a Stanley Cup.

“I’m humbled by the opportunity that I’m getting,” Ruff said. “I get a chance to do something that I wasn’t able to do as a player. Then I became the coach of the team and didn’t succeed with what I set out to do. And now I’m getting one more opportunity in which I really feel I’m blessed to have that opportunity.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — In a rare public-speaking appearance Tuesday, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula praised new head coach Lindy Ruff as someone who “knows how to take a team to another level.”

Pegula gave the opening statement at Ruff’s introductory press conference after the 64-year-old was officially hired Monday. It was his first time speaking to the media since the groundbreaking at the new Buffalo Bills stadium last June.

“He may be the most competitive person I’ve ever met in my life,” Pegula said of Ruff. “Just go fishing with him and you may never go fishing with him again. He’s also never going to ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself. So, I welcome Lindy as our next head coach.”

While reminiscing about Ruff’s history with the Sabres, Pegula mentioned the infamous 1999 Stanley Cup Final loss against Dallas and how Buffalo was “probably a skate blade on a line” away from a championship, among other moments and accomplishments during Ruff’s first stint.

Pegula also thanked Don Granato and members of his staff for their contributions to the franchise, mentioning that Granato apologized to him, general manager Kevyn Adams, the fans and players for letting them down.

“That goes to show you what kind of guy Donny is,” Pegula said of Granato’s apology. “He has left the Sabres in a better place and we appreciate that.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The reintroduction of Lindy Ruff as Sabres head coach likely invoked plenty of nostalgia for fans who remember the successes of his 16-year run behind the bench in Buffalo.

However, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams made it clear during Ruff’s introductory press conference Tuesday that this hire is far from just a feel-good story.

“It is tremendous that Lindy has a long-storied history in the Buffalo Sabres. It is terrific that he is connected to the City of Buffalo and the Western New York community — but that’s really just an added bonus,” Adams said. “He’s the right person for this job, and I truly believe that he is the person that’s going to take us to the next level.”

The search for a new Sabres head coach lasted just about a week, but despite the relative shortness of the hiring process, Adams said he spoke to “double-digit” candidates before settling on Ruff.

“I just kept coming back to the conversations with Lindy,” Adams said. “There was a lot of really highly qualified candidates, but every hour that went by, I felt more and more strongly. After in-depth conversations with Terry (Pegula), this was our guy.”

While Ruff brings back a strong familiarity with the franchise and city, he also has a familiarity with Adams. The Sabres GM spent two years behind the bench with Ruff as an assistant coach from 2011-2013 and another two years in a player development role.

Adams mentioned Ruff’s ability to lead, challenge players while building a relationship and handle “non-negotiables within a system” as some of his biggest takeaways during his time on Ruff’s staff. He acknowledged their past relations matters, but despite the connection, he emphasized that this hire is about on-ice success only.

“Ultimately, as I went through it, because there’s a tremendous amount of coaching candidates out there, it just for me came back to this is the right coach for this team to win,” Adams said.

Ruff joins the Sabres as they look to end an NHL-record 13-year playoff drought that began while he was still behind the bench. The 64-year-old coached Buffalo’s last postseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011.

Now, over a decade later, Adams is confident Ruff will be the next to do so.

“That’s why he’s here, he’s here to win,” Adams said. “The past is the past – that’s great. But this is about now. This is about the players in that locker room now. This is about the fans that come in here and can believe in something great. That’s why he’s sitting here.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — In a draft class that is stacked with talented wide receivers who get a lot of hype, Central Florida’s Javon Baker is flying under the radar a bit and could end up being the​ steal of the draft.

Baker started his college career at Alabama but was stuck behind several future NFL players, he transferred to UCF and took off. Last season, he played 13 games, had 52 catches, seven for touchdowns.

“Me personally, when I walk onto that line of scrimmage, I just know the defender can’t beat me,” Baker said.

Baker excels at yards after the catch, something Brandon Beane and the Bills are looking to add. He averaged and eye-popping 22 yards per receptions in 2023.

It’s a mentality thing. Once I get the ball in my hands I know that first guy ain’t tackling me,” Baker said. “​I’m a bigger receiver, 6-foot-2, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds. That right there is I know corners are scared of that to a point. And then my releases and my acceleration and my quickness, plays a role in all of that. When I walk up to that line of scrimmage, I can see their eyes already get big. At that point I know I’ve got them.”

Baker is projected to be a second or third round pick.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Sabres brought back Lindy Ruff as head coach on Monday, marking the return of a fan favorite who led the team to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final.

Ruff replaces Don Granato, who was fired last Tuesday after three seasons behind the bench.

The Sabres have not made the playoff since firing Ruff during the 2012-13 season, stretching their NHL-record drought to 13 seasons. Ruff coached the Sabres’ last playoff game in 2011.

“As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more,” general manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement on the team website. “I want to be clear though that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him.”

After leaving Buffalo, Ruff, 64, held head coaching positions with the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils.

Ruff has the fifth-most coaching wins in NHL history and is the winningest coach in Sabres history by a wide margin, posting a record of 571-432-78-84 from 1998-2013. Scotty Bowman is second in franchise history with 210 wins. Granato had a 122-125-27 record with the Sabres, including his time as interim head coach in 2021.

Ruff won the Jack Adams Award as the league’s top coach in the 2005-06 season, when the Sabres earned 110 points in the first year after the lockout. The Sabres won the Presidents Trophy the following year, posting the best record in the NHL. The team lost in the Eastern Conference Final both seasons.

Ruff also played for the Sabres from 1980-1989, scoring 102 goals across 10 seasons. He was a second-round draft pick in 1979.

The Sabres finished seven points out of playoff position this season, but have most of their key pieces under contract for next season.

Ruff will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday. You can watch live on WIVB.com.

This is a breaking story, check back for more

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Bills own the 28th overall pick in Thursday night’s first round of the NFL Draft. How likely are they to trade up?

General manager Brandon Beane acknowledged during his pre-draft press conference that he wouldn’t hesitate to execute a trade if the price is right, as he has in previous drafts.

“I probably deserve criticism for trading up sometimes, I get that,” Beane said, “but if there is a guy I like and I’m confident, I want to go to bed Thursday night [knowing] that I got him. If that happens again, I could do it. I can’t really tell you whether we go up, go back, or draft at 28. I have no idea how it’s going to fall.”

While Beane kept his cards close to the vest, our Buffalo Kickoff Live crew was happy to venture a guess on trading up when the subject was broached during last week’s Mock Draft Special.

What are the odds the Bills trade up? And how high could they move up?

News 4’s Heather Prusak predicted favorable odds for the Bills to trade up: She gave it a 75% chance that the Bills trade up, maybe to 15th or 16th overall, looking to nab LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

“I don’t think they have the capital to get all the way up to where they would have to to get one of the top three guys,” Prusak said, refencing WR prospects Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State), Malik Nabers (LSU) and Rome Odunze (Washington). “Brian Thomas Jr. is a little more attainable.”

WGR’s Sal Capaccio also thinks a trade up is likely: He sees “over a 50 percent chance” the Bills trade up.

“This is what Brandon Beane does,” he said, guessing the Bills would move into the top 20.

WROC Sports Director Thad Brown was emphatic about a trade up: “99.74%,” he said, though he isn’t thinking the move will be as high as others on the panel.

Brown targeted 23rd overall, thinking the Vikings will trade up from that spot to get a quarterback, and the team that trades into that slot will be happy to trade down again.

Matt Parrino from Syracuse.com didn’t offer a percentage, but is also eyeing the 15-20 range for Brian Thomas Jr. He added that he also thinks trading back could be in play for the Bills.

Fans eager for a home run swing to replace Stefon Diggs should keep their eyes on Odunze’s draft stock. If it appears he could slip to the back end of the top 10 or beyond, a trade up may be too enticing not to make the move.

Tune in Wednesday for more draft coverage during Buffalo Kickoff Live’s Draft Preview, airing at 7 p.m. on WIVB and WIVB.com.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — It’s officially NFL Draft week, as the Bills and other teams around the league look to bolster their rosters with youth for the coming season and the future.

With the first round set to begin Thursday, here are the Bills-related things to know for the 2024 draft.

When and where is the NFL Draft?

The 2024 NFL Draft spans three days, April 25-27, and is taking place in Detroit this year. The schedule is:

Round 1: 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25
Rounds 2-3: 7 p.m. Friday, April 26
Rounds 4-7: Noon Saturday, April 27

How can I watch the NFL Draft?

All seven rounds of the draft will air live on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network. Mobile coverage can also be found on the NFL app.

What picks do the Bills have in the 2024 draft?

The Bills currently have 10 selections in this year’s draft but only two in the first three rounds. but That could change before Thursday or during the draft through trades, however. The full list of Buffalo’s picks is as follows:

Round 1: 28th overall
Round 2: 60th overall
Round 3: No pick, traded to Green Bay
Round 4: 128th overall, 133rd overall
Round 5: 144th overall (via Chicago), 160th overall (via Green Bay), 163rd overall
Round 6: 200th overall (via Houston), 204th overall
Round 7: 248th overall

What are the Bills’ draft needs?

If there’s one position the Bills will almost certainly target in the draft, it’s wide receiver. Buffalo is especially thin at the spot following the departures of, most notably, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason. Currently, Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins and Justin Shorter are the only receivers signed to the Bills’ active roster.

Safety is another hole on Buffalo’s roster, as longtime tandem Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are no longer with the team. The Bills did re-sign Taylor Rapp and added free agent Mike Edwards to help fill the void, but youth and depth at the position are needed.

Other positions the Bills may look to target include interior offensive line, defensive line and cornerback.

What time will the Bills make the No. 28 pick on Thursday?

Should the Bills stay put at No. 28 in the first round, it’ll be a late night for those who want to see the pick live.

In the past three drafts, the 28th overall selection was made after 11 p.m., and it’s unlikely that trend will change. Here is roughly when those picks were announced:

2023: 11:19 p.m.
2022: 11:30 p.m.
2021: 11:40 p.m.

Have the Bills picked at No. 28 in the past?

The Bills have selected at 28th overall three times in the past. If their pick at No. 28 this year is anything like their most recent one, it’s fair to say fans would be happy.

2009: Eric Wood, C, Louisville
1993: Thomas Smith, DB, North Carolina
1981: Booker Moore, RB, Penn State

Buffalo Kickoff Live NFL Draft shows

The Buffalo Kickoff Live crew will bring you coverage before and after the draft this week, providing insight on all things Bills.

The Buffalo Kickoff Live Draft Preview will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday on WIVB, while the Buffalo Kickoff Live Draft Recap airs at 10:30 p.m. Sunday on the CW23 and at 11:35 p.m. on WIVB.

The BKL team consists of News 4’s Josh Reed and Heather Prusak, WROC’s Thad Brown, Sal Capaccio from WGR 550, Tim Graham from The Athletic and Matt Parrino from Syracuse.com.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Washington Huskies had one of the most prolific passing attacks in the country in 2023 and the high-flying Ja’Lynn Polk was a big reason why. Polk had over 1,100 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.

His ability to battle defenders and make high-wire catches is second to none in this draft class.    

“I think going up there and making those types of plays is a mindset you have to have a mindset to go up there and sacrifice yourself for your team sacrifice your body and understanding what you’re going to go up there,” Polk said. “I think of it as there’s money in the air are you going to go get it or let it pass by just going out there and knowing you have to make plays for your teammates is the most important thing.”

Brandon Beane has talked about the importance of finding players who can makes explosive plays and Polk fits the description, he averaged 17 yards per catch last season. He’s also very versatile, another trait NFL teams are after. 

“I think that’s what separates me from all the receivers in this draft,” Polk said. “I’m able to go inside, outside. I’m capable of doing whatever you need me to do out there on the field. they’ve asked me those types of questions where I see myself at but it doesn’t really matter to me because I can go both ways just knowing that I can do that and having that mindset to where you can put me inside or outside will give me a better opportunity to just get on the field.”

Polk is projected to hear his name called at the end of the first round or start of the second round.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The reigning NLL Cup champions will begin their 2024 postseason in Banditland next weekend. Buffalo won six of its final seven regular season games and secured the fourth seed in the league playoffs with its most lopsided victory of the year, 14-5 on Saturday night in Vegas.

Bandits star Dhane Smith recorded 12 points (10 assists, two goals) and became the first player in NLL history to notch more than 100 assists in a season. Josh Byrne had three goals and six assists to lift his league-leading point total to 135, one more than his teammate’s tally, and joining Smith as one of three players in league history to reach that mark in a single season. Byrne also scored his 200th career goal, and his season total of 53 goals are the third-most in Bandits history.

Smith’s 102 assists this season exceeded his own record of 96 from a year ago, and he now has the three highest assist seasons on the NLL’s all-time list. Smith’s 137 points in 2016, when he scored a record 72 goals, remain NLL standard, and Byrne’s 135 points matched Smith’s second-best output from his 2022 MVP season.

The Bandits (11-7) will host the Georgia Swarm (10-8) in a quarterfinal playoff at 7 p.m. Saturday at KeyBank Center. Tickets are available here. Georgia won 9-8 in Buffalo on Dec. 29, during the Bandits’ 5-6 start to the season. The winner moves on to the best-of-three semifinal series.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Byron Murphy II from Texas was the Big XII defensive lineman of the year in 2023 and is one of the top interior linemen in this draft class.

Murphy is explosive and excels at taking on two blockers at once.   

“That’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Murphy said. “Obviously you’re doing your job but to split a double team and get a TFL, that’s pretty hard to do that’s hard work and a lot of guys can’t do that.”

He was a pass-rushing force for the Longhorns last year, producing an eye-catching 40 pressures, five sacks and eight tackles for loss.

“Having the mindset of can’t be stopped, won’t be stopped, doing my best to be disruptive at all times and just trying to get after the quarterback rushing each and every play just going hard 110% with great effort,” Murphy said of his standout season.

“My tape speaks for itself. I put a lot on tape this year and I played a lot this year on tape and I feel like I showed a lot of NFL teams what I can do and what they can get from me.”

Murphy did have a formal meeting with the Bills at the scouting combine and some draft analysts compared him to Ed Oliver. He’s projected to be a first or second-round selection.