League: NHL Sport: Hockey Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Lindy Ruff falls short in Jack Adams Award voting despite Sabres' success

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 4, 2026, 6:20 AM

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

Lindy Ruff falls short in Jack Adams Award voting despite Sabres' success

Summary

Lindy Ruff, head coach of the Buffalo Sabres, was narrowly edged out in the Jack Adams Award voting by Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ruff led the Sabres to a historic season, including a 14-year playoff drought snap and an Atlantic Division title. Despite these accomplishments and a regular-season performance that featured more points than Tampa Bay, Ruff finished just three points behind Cooper. The voting outcome has sparked debates on the criteria used for the award, particularly the balance between current season achievements and past accolades.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Buffalo Sabres won the Atlantic Division title this season.
•Lindy Ruff guided the team to its best performance in decades.
•Sabres finished with 50 wins and faced numerous player injuries.
•Ruff's coaching style included effective management of a three-goalie situation.
•He finished just three points behind Jon Cooper in the Jack Adams Award voting.

Latest Updates

6:20 AMYahoo Sports — What More Did Lindy Ruff Have To Do?

What they're saying

"
Lindy Ruff guided Buffalo out of a 14-year playoff drought and to an Atlantic Division title, yet still fell just short in the Jack Adams voting in a result that has many questioning what more he could have possibly done.
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Buffalo Sabres Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Hockey