Devils hire Lindy Ruff

The New Jersey Devils have apparently made a decision on the future of their front office as NHL Network's Kevin Weekes reported that the team will retain Tom Fitzgerald as the general manager, removed the interim status in his title and will name Lindy Ruff as the next head coach of the Devils.

Fitzgerald served as the team's interim general manager for part of the 2019-20 season after the firing of Ray Shero after a season of increased expectations turned out to be very disappointing and it was Fitzgerald that made the Devils trades near the deadline, although it was Shero that finalized the trade that sent Taylor Hall to the Arizona Coyotes.

Lindy Ruff has been the head coach for two teams, coaching Buffalo for fifteen seasons and then moving to Dallas to lead the Stars for four more before the Stars let him go following the 2016-17 season.
Ruff led Buffalo to the playoffs in eight of his fifteen seasons, would take Dallas twice in his four seasons there, the Sabres made four conference finals, and it was Ruff that was victimized by the most controversial call in Stanley Cup history in the famous "Skate in the crease" game when Brett Hull scored the game-winning goal in the third overtime of game six with his skate in the crease while possessing the puck, which was illegal by the rules of the time (1999) and should have been waved off.
Instead, the goal was allowed to stand with the goal, game, series, and Stanley Cup going to Dallas all on one play that shouldn't have counted.
Ruff has served as an assistant with the New York Rangers since leaving Dallas and the Rangers fans don't seem to be all that disappointed in losing him as Ruff's duties were with the defense and special teams, both of which have decreased in effectiveness under his tutelage.
I've also been calling him "Lester" for years as I've thought he looks like my uncle Lester.

Devils fans don't seem to be jumping for joy either with Ruff (or really for Fitzgerald either) as the hire and while I'm not thrilled, I'm not mad either.
The Devils talked to five coaches about the job with Ruff, interim coach Alain Nasreddine, former Las Vegas coach Gerard Gallant, well-traveled Peter LaViolette, and John Stevens, previously of the Kings and Flyers, each receiving interviews.
Of that group, I easily preferred Gallant and wanted no part of LaViolette with the other three all in the middle of the pack of less than exciting possibilities.
On paper, LaViolette looks like the class of the field with three trips to the Cup Finals and a win with Carolina in 2006, but I've never cared for his style and I'm not convinced that his coaching style is going work well with younger players as part of a rebuilding process.
I really wanted Gallant for a similar reason- he does well with younger players and he's going to play a quicker paced game and I think that suits the talent that Ray Shero brought to New Jersey best of all the candidates.

This is an unexciting hire and often the best hires aren't thrilling, but occasionally they can be the right one.
The Devils are gambling a little that Lindy Ruff's best days aren't in the past, but it's not an awful risk.
Tom Fitzgerald is a higher risk in personnel, but the team seemed to have their mind made up on him early as they didn't interview any other candidates (at least that I know of) as possible replacements.
The Devils are one bad hire from hitting that dreaded floor with a thud and without a bounce.
With luck, Tom Fitzgerald and Lindy Ruff will turn the Devils into a contender because should they fail the recovery period could be a long wait away.