On Thursday, Lindy Ruff will coach his 1500th career NHL game when the Flyers visit Prudential Center. When he does, the man behind the bench of the opposition will be one that Ruff has had a lot of history with, Alain Vigneault.
Vigneault and Ruff coached together for a season with the New York Rangers, with Ruff as an assistant. The pair also coached together with Ruff as Vigneault's assistant for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
Ruff had high praise for Vigneault.
"I really think Alain is one of the best coaches in the League," Ruff began. "I spent a year with him in New York. I feel we learned a lot from each other. We spent a lot of time talking about our systems, the players we've had. He's a detail guy, which is a reason he's still coaching at the level he's coaching at.
"He's just a heck of a coach."
Ruff was asked to look back at his first game as head coach, a 3-1 road win over the St. Louis Blues on October 1, 1997.
"I don't really remember game one but I can guarantee I was pretty nervous," Ruff said. "It's no different than a young player stepping in and playing. I had butterflies and nerves. I was confident in what I thought I could get a team to do and I had a lot to learn."
BLOG: Ruff Talks Vigneault, 1500th Game
As his 1500th career NHL game as an NHL head coach approaches on Thursday, Lindy Ruff talks about the influences in his career, including the coach he'll be facing
