Sabres go back to 'school' during NHL lockout

"I went with the track suit," Ruff said, with a chuckle. "You know: the coach's uniform."

That's fine, because this wasn't your conventional course he was teaching.

Season or no season, Ruff and the rest of the team's 100-or-so employees went back to school last month to attend what was called "Sabres University." It featured a series of courses spread over two weeks to help everyone better appreciate how the entire operation works, and to boost morale during the ongoing NHL lockout.

The courses ranged from "The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media," to "The Scouting Process," headed by general manager Darcy Regier. There was a seminar from the ice-making crew in detailing techniques required to create a smooth sheet of game-ready ice. And even Kim Pegula got involved by outlining the team's mission under her and husband Terry Pegula's ownership.

As for Ruff, he taught a class explaining how he gets his defenseman involved in the offensive rush.

Though he'd prefer to be coaching, Ruff found the two-week session enlightening and worthwhile, and something that has the potential to strengthen the entire organization whenever the NHL gets back to business.

"I think it was more than a good idea," he said. "I think when you do something like this, it gives everybody a better understanding of what everybody's trying to get done. And the goal is all the same. We want to entertain fans. We want to win hockey games."

And, Ruff added, "at the end, everybody in the organization is pulling to win a championship."

The idea behind the university-style project was sparked in September when Sabres vice president Brent Rossi attended a social media training seminar, team president Ted Black said. Rossi returned with so many good ideas that he wanted to make a presentation to other employees.

That idea then mushroomed into getting others involved to share their own expertise, and a "course curriculum" was then designed.

It helped that Sabres staff had plenty of time on their hands and was readily available. Unlike some NHL teams who have laid off employees or cut back on schedules and pay, the Sabres have kept everyone on board during the labor dispute.