The New Jersey Devils today announced that they have relieved Lindy Ruff of his head coaching duties and named Associate Coach Travis Green as Interim Head Coach for the rest of the season. The announcement was made by Devils’ President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.
Green will start in his role at Tuesday’s morning skate in advance of that night’s game versus Florida. He will lead the staff of existing assistants Ryan McGill, Chris Taylor, Sergei Brylin, and goaltending coach, Dave Rogalski.
“I hold our entire organization to the highest levels of accountability to focus on being a competitive team that expects to be a perennial playoff contender,” said Fitzgerald. “Unfortunately, we are not currently at that level, and I needed to make this decision.
“This was an extremely difficult conversation to have with Lindy based on the relationship that he and I have. He was the right coach to develop our young players on the ice, and above all else, he is a tremendous person.
“Travis has key experience running benches at the junior, AHL and NHL levels and knows that there are no shortcuts to success. He is a high-demanding individual who is familiar with the group and excited about working to get us back on track.”
Green, 53, was named Associate Coach by Fitzgerald on June 22, 2023. He was Vancouver’s head coach for parts of five seasons from 2017-18 to 2021-22 with a 133-147-34 record. Green led the Canucks to the Second Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, after the team posted a 36-27-6 record in the regular season. Before coaching in the NHL, he was head coach for the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2013-14 to 2016-17, winning 35 or more games in all four seasons. Utica clinched two postseason berths under Green’s guidance and advanced to the 2014-15 Calder Cup finals. While with Vancouver, Green coached Quinn Hughes, the older brother of both Jack and Luke Hughes.
Previously, Green took over as interim head coach of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Portland Winterhawks in 2012-13 and won a WHL Championship title. Green and the Winterhawks then clinched a berth in the 2012-13 Memorial Cup final.
A native of Castlegar, British Columbia, the New York Islanders selected Green in the second round, 23rd overall, at the 1989 NHL Draft. He recorded 455 points (193g-262a) in 970 career regular-season games from 1992-93 to 2006-07. Green spent most of his playing career with the Islanders (388 GP), but also skated for Toronto (181 GP), Arizona/Phoenix (147 GP), Boston (146 GP) and Anaheim (108 GP). The former NHL centerman appeared in seven different postseasons and earned 21 points (10g-11a) in 56 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Fitzgerald’s relationship with Green dates back to being teammates together in 1992-93 with the Islanders, 2002-03 with Toronto and then 2005-06 on Boston.
Ruff departs the Devils after coaching the team to a 128-125-28 (.505) record in 281 career regular-season games over three-plus seasons, and a 5-7 record in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was named a finalist for the 2023 Jack Adams Award following a franchise record 52-22-8 record and First Round victory over the New York Rangers. Ruff was 30-27-4 (.525) this year prior to his dismissal.
