The Buffalo Sabres have hired Lindy Ruff as head coach, the team announced Monday.

Ruff previously served as head coach of the Sabres from 1997 to 2013. He is the all-time winningest coach in team history and won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach in 2006.

“I am thrilled to welcome Lindy back as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres,” General Manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement. “As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more. I want to be clear though that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him.”

The move comes after the firing of Don Granato last week after he again failed to guide the team to the postseason. The Sabres have missed the playoffs for a consecutive 13 seasons. The last time was in 2011, when the team was coached by Ruff.

"I am thankful to Terry, the Pegula family, and Kevyn Adams for this opportunity,” Ruff said in a statement. “This is a team ready to take the next step. I am both humbled and honored to be trusted to help this team win now. It is not a job that I take lightly. It is my goal to ensure that players believe in each other, play for each other and love being a Buffalo Sabre. There is no doubt that we all need to embrace the challenge ahead of us. The work starts today and I could not be more excited."

The 64-year-old has had head coaching jobs in Dallas and New Jersey since Buffalo fired him in Feb. 2013, while the Sabres have gone through six coaches — Ron Rolston, Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, Phil Housley, Ralph Krueger and Granato — since then.