give our best players more ice!!!

doodie · Veteran Member

give our best players more ice!!!

AB Habman · Guru

doodie wrote:

Don't you think our best players should get more ice time. I'm just guessing here but in order to be productive they have to see more ice.Ribeiro over 19:00 minutes he has the most ,is he our best player? -- Edited by doodie at 21:22, 2006-03-22

I don't think you can increase Sak's ice especially when he wears down with mental errors and physically can't handle it. He seems to play better with less ice because he tends to keep his game simple and makes better decisions.

As for Ribs, he does play better with about 15 minutes on average.

The player that I would have out there for almost 25-30 minutes a game is Kovy. He plays better with more ice and can handle it because he is strong. Also he becomes more intense. I was listening to Ranger's say that the reason for Jagr's success is because Renny uses him almost every second shift. It makes him feel important and he even plays well two ways because of it. I think under the proper handling, Kovy would be our MVP with 40 goals now!

You can't continue to blame him when he plays with a third line center on his low productivity when there's no first line center to play with. He'll make it up by more ice because his talent will wear down the opposition's defense like Jagr does.

-- Edited by AB Habman at 21:51, 2006-03-22

JohnM · Guru

When's the last time Kovy got 40? Seems he played with some pretty good players in NY, including Jagr. Time to get a clue AB

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

When's the last time Kovy got 40? Seems he played with some pretty good players in NY, including Jagr. Time to get a clue AB

Yeh, you're right. 40 is a stretch, now that you mention it. Maybe more like 30 at seasons end. My point is though, that he would be more productive because he would feel important to the team and play more intense. Even if you don't like my posts John, you have to admit that kovy is talented.

JohnM · Guru

No doubt Kovy is talented, just can't see him getting 40. Didn't you say Ryder would get 40 also? We should have the highest scoring team in the league, LOL!

Nil d · Guru

JohnM wrote:

When's the last time Kovy got 40? Seems he played with some pretty good players in NY, including Jagr. Time to get a clue AB

I don't know about Kovy getting 40, but I see you have gotten 1,000 (posts, that is). Congrats, and welcome to the club. I always enjoy your posts - about Koivu or not.

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

No doubt Kovy is talented, just can't see him getting 40. Didn't you say Ryder would get 40 also? We should have the highest scoring team in the league, LOL!

That the problem John you are so sensitive now, that you take every post and twist it to make it seem like I say these things. Actually, I said if Ryder was playing with an elite center and passer, he could get 40 goals in this league and I didn't mean tomorrow.

But just forget it all together John, if it's bothering you too much.

JohnM · Guru

Nil d wrote:

I don't know about Kovy getting 40, but I see you have gotten 1,000 (posts, that is). Congrats, and welcome to the club. I always enjoy your posts - about Koivu or not.

Thanks Nil.

barry33 · Guru

JohnM wrote:

No doubt Kovy is talented, just can't see him getting 40. Didn't you say Ryder would get 40 also? We should have the highest scoring team in the league, LOL!

Sadly Kovalev IS capable of 40..or 50 even. And Koivu is capable of 30. But I do not buy the oh well if they only had decent linemates, or if they only had another decent center. Look at what Ovechkin has done in Washington this year with zip, diddly, squat. Granted Kovalev or Koivu ar enot Ovechkin but my point is valid.

rwp2le · Guru

barry33 wrote:

JohnM wrote: No doubt Kovy is talented, just can't see him getting 40. Didn't you say Ryder would get 40 also? We should have the highest scoring team in the league, LOL! Sadly Kovalev IS capable of 40..or 50 even. And Koivu is capable of 30. But I do not buy the oh well if they only had decent linemates, or if they only had another decent center. Look at what Ovechkin has done in Washington this year with zip, diddly, squat. Granted Kovalev or Koivu ar enot Ovechkin but my point is valid.

I agree to some extent, I personally only think Koviu could score 30 if we played no hit hockey. But I really do believe that Ryder and Kovy's production would go up with the proper line mates. I think Jagr is the prime example of this. Look at how great he has been playing with a few players who take some attention away from him. If you were playing D on against our team and see Kovy coming in with Ribs and Perz (I would type his full name but I can't spell it) who are you going to cover? Kovalev playing by himself like he does draw 2 checkers at most times. Another world class player would open up some room for him to move and do what he does. As for Ovechkin, that kid might possibly be the best player in the world right now, imagine him with good center, my good it would be deadly.

plouf · Guru

I have to agree and disagree with you there rwp2le.

Ryder should get more goals. But c'mon, it's not his linemates. He has been misfiring SO badly lately. He SHOULD have 30 by now, and I'm sure he's kicking himself for that.

As for Kovalev, I doubt he'd score 40 for anyone. He's too indifferent during a lot of the regular season, and he's not the same kind of player as Ovechkin. He doesn't get those odd-man rush type goals that pad your stats. I do think he would benefit from playing with a true finisher, someone like Ryder, but on a roll. It's not like Kovalev's not getting his chances though. Too often he just misses the net these days.

Koivu is probably not ever going to be a 30-goal scorer, you're right there. He is a potential 60 assist guy, on a team with a clicking offense and with some linemates who finish plays. But this is clearly going to be more of a 15-20-goal (if he's lucky), 40-assist type season for him.