St. Louis, Ruff, and the Playoff Chess Match Behind NHL Mind Games

Martin St. Louis and Lindy Ruff are two coaches who know the postseason is never just about forechecks and shot totals. In the playoffs, every quote gets parsed, every matchup gets leveraged, and every little wrinkle can turn into a week-long talking point in the room and on the bench. The New York Times piece digs into how those mind games have evolved, with veteran coaches still trying to win the battle before the puck even drops.