Grabovski

hockeyman · Senior Member

Grabovski

Habtastic · Guru

Possibility, yes, but he more than likely needs a year or two to adapt to the NA game.

Habtastic

macneil · Guru

from what i heard and read i believe hes more talented than ribs but like habby said he may need to adjust to the smaller ice and n.a. game first but id give him every opportunity to try .

rwp2le · Guru

Look on RDS.ca There is an interview with Carbo, and he talked about how dangerous the trio of Kovalev, Samsonov, and Riberio are going to be.

Habtastic · Guru

Looks like our forward units are almost definitely set (with one spot there for a rookie) and I am willing to give Ribs one more shot now that I hear he is training so hard at the Phone Booth. What I am still hoping for is for BG to land us a top-two D if/when he trades Souray. I also really wonder how long Perez will be with us now that we have Samsonov and with Kostitsyn in the wings...

Habtastic

hockeyman · Senior Member

Well somebody better hook up slingshots on the end boards for Ribs because he definitely can't skate with Kov and Sams. He'll have to slingshot himself back and forth.

heet_150 · Guru

From Canadiens.com

“We were looking to fill in the open spot alongside Mike Ribeiro and Kovalev,” said Carbonneau. “A natural goal scorer with a really good shot, Sergei knows how to get free and Ribeiro and Kovalev like to find the open man. They should be a good combination.”

Figaro · Guru

So does that make Ribs the first line centre? Mommy!!!!!

Saku11 · Senior Member

Higgins - Koivu - Ryder
Samsonov - Ribiero - Kovalev
Johnson - Plekanec - Perezhogin
Murray/Chipchura - Bonk - Begin

this is probably what we will look like come October 6

mind you if Gainey makes some trades, we might have to re-shuffle

sarge · Member

I'm not sure Higging-Koivu-Ryder would be the number 1 line.

Samsonov-Some Dude-Kovalev looks like a more purely offensive unit to me.

Not knocking their performance from last year, but, they were a bit streaky. Most posters did recognize that Kovalev needed more talented linemates and Samsonov is pretty damned slick.

rwp2le · Guru

Figaro wrote:

So does that make Ribs the first line centre? Mommy!!!!!

There is no question at all that Ribs is now on our #1 line. Last year Gainey called them 1a & 1b. Imagine how good Kovy and Ribs will be together without Bulis getting in thier way. So now Ribs can get assists by making a break out pass, and Kovalev or Samsonov can skate through the whole team and score. More points for Ribs, and he can still just phone his game in if he wants. Can you guys say Brendan Morrisson? How much does it suck that Ribs is on our 1st line.

macneil · Guru

well i agree that kovy and sammy are our first line wingers i cant agree that ribs is our 1st line center , if either line struggles or both i see a quick change of centers . k-k-s, seams like a true number 1 line .

rwp2le · Guru

Koviu, Kovalev & Samsonov does make a lot better first line, but then it does take Ryder and Higgins out of the game. Neither of the last 2 have the skills to carry a line by themselves. That was why they were moved with Koviu last year, leaving Kovalev to carry his 2 linemates. And I agree with you from another thread that Koviu is still our #1 center, but I don't think you will see him play 17 mins a game, he is to injury prone to take on that kind of minutes. 13 to 15 is better for him. Kovalev himself has said he likes to be around 20, and Samsonov likes lots of ice time too. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. They should play this line like the Jagr line, they go on when they are ready, not every 4th shift.