Recchi on Coaching, Ruff and More | PODCAST

There's something you might not know about Devils head coach Lindy Ruff. The man wins at everything. Everything.
Whether it is a game of ping pong, darts, pool, you name it.
"Lindy is an awesome guy. I learned that he's an incredible athlete," assistant coach Mark Recchi admitted to the Speak of the Devils podcast. "He kicks our butt in everything we play him in.
"Ping pong, cornhole, any game we play. Shuffleboard. He's a good golfer. Plays righthanded and lefthanded, which crazy. He hits righthanded with his drivers and has two lefthanded wedges."
Other than demonstrating his athleticism, Ruff has also tutored his staff. Recchi has also learned a lot about the game of hockey and the art of coaching under Ruff's mentorship.
"I learned a lot from Lindy," he said. "He's been around the game for a long time. … It was a great experience. He's got a terrific sense of humor. He has a great hockey mind. He's very sharp. It was a lot of fun."

Recchi is still only in his fifth season behind the bench, and second with New Jersey. And although his first year with the Devils was a bubble season, he enjoyed being around the team's youthful squad.
"They're all great young men," Recchi said. "They want to be players, they want to be great. We built a great relationship. We trust with each other. We push them to get better. Handling things as leaders is the next step for all of those guys. They can not only be great hockey players, but great leaders."
Part of that leadership means answering to one another.
"They have to hold each other accountable," Recchi said. "There's nothing better in a dressing for the coaches than letting the players hold themselves accountable. Teams that win championship are able to do that. They're in it together. They're going to push each other. They're going to pat each other on the back. They're going to do the things necessary to make sure they're all in this together and they're all important."
Here are some other topics discussed…
New Jersey Devils Official Podcast
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Mark Recchi | Speak of the Devils