Niniima (SP)

superhab · Guru

Niniima (SP)

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Either this trade is very good or very bad. If we get the Niinimaa of old, then we have added a solid piece to our defensive core, but if we get the Niinimaa who struggled last year in the new NHL, then we have the most expensive 7th Defenceman in the league.

I too think Ribs was going to improve this year, and I wish him luck in Dallas, but I can't say I am too disappointed to see him go. He no longer had the respect of the fans or the dressing room, and that counts for a lot. At least this will give te chance for another young guy to push his way onto the roster. Locke, Grabo, and Chip all have a shot if they want to bring up a centre (I say Locke since he can't get any more out of the AHL and it is time for him to show if he belongs, plus Grabo is injured and Chip should have some AHL time first) or Kost if they want another winger. I say we go for a centre since we are weak there, and some competition will keep things honest.

In the end I'd say this trade will have very little impact on the final standings, but will take some booing away for at least a few games.

Edit: According to SI, Niinimaa was struggling with a bad ankle last year and had it fixed over the summer, maybe we got a steal after all!

-- Edited by Traveling Hab at 21:47, 2006-09-30

superhab · Guru

Traveling Hab wrote:

Edit: According to SI, Niinimaa was struggling with a bad ankle last year and had it fixed over the summer, maybe we got a steal after all!

-- Edited by Traveling Hab at 21:47, 2006-09-30

We can only hope

AB Habman · Guru

Niniima is a useless tit! There's a reason he's much travelled. I remember when he was an Oiler, he was benched many games for showing up late for practice due to being hung-over. He was a juvinile cancer in the dressing room also. Terribly lazy player!

Trust me, Dallas won this trade. Ribs was set for his best season and it'll happen in Dallas.

Niniima is Mr. Minus!

With him, we're even thinner on Defense and Center!

Terrible trade for us!

-- Edited by AB Habman at 21:57, 2006-09-30

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

AB Habman wrote:

he was benched many games for showing up late for practice due to being hung-over.

lights... fading. hope... dimming. eternal optimism... nowhere to be found.

If he can't get to practice on time and play well hung over, then he doesn't belong in this league.

Muller93 · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

Niniima is a useless tit! There's a reason he's much travelled. I remember when he was an Oiler, he was benched many games for showing up late for practice due to being hung-over. He was a juvinile cancer in the dressing room also. Terribly lazy player!

Trust me, Dallas won this trade. Ribs was set for his best season and it'll happen in Dallas.

Niniima is Mr. Minus!

With him, we're even thinner on Defense and Center!

Terrible trade for us!

-- Edited by AB Habman at 21:57, 2006-09-30

Ya know, I posted in another thread that I think it is likely that Dallas won the trade. So I agree with you AB.

But I have always disliked that punk Ribeiro. And with your eternal love for the guy, it makes it all worth it for me...unless Dallas wins the cup and Riblet wins the conn...

-- Edited by Muller93 at 22:09, 2006-09-30

superhab · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

Niniima is a useless tit! There's a reason he's much travelled. I remember when he was an Oiler, he was benched many games for showing up late for practice due to being hung-over. He was a juvinile cancer in the dressing room also. Terribly lazy player!

-- Edited by AB Habman at 21:57, 2006-09-30

Well at least he is in Montreal where he will have a tough time finding booze.

JohnM · Guru

Anythings an upgrade when you get rid of Ribs.

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

Anythings an upgrade when you get rid of Ribs.

True enough. Also with Niniima being a free agent, it's only for one season. The guy will wear thin soon.

Also losing Ribs at this stage, we can at least use Plecs and we're not losing much. Johnson or Bonk also could move up the line if need be.

AB Habman · Guru

The thing that confusses me is, it was reported that Gainey tried to trade Ribs during most of last season and probably right before he re-signed him. My thinking was that he must of been asking for something substantial and that's why he couldn't move him. Now all of a sudden he's basically dumped for a higher salery player that will probably deteriate our D even more.

Oh well, wait and see! Hopefully Janne has grown up!

AB Habman · Guru

Muller93 wrote:

AB Habman wrote:

Niniima is a useless tit! There's a reason he's much travelled. I remember when he was an Oiler, he was benched many games for showing up late for practice due to being hung-over. He was a juvinile cancer in the dressing room also. Terribly lazy player!

Trust me, Dallas won this trade. Ribs was set for his best season and it'll happen in Dallas.

Niniima is Mr. Minus!

With him, we're even thinner on Defense and Center!

Terrible trade for us!

-- Edited by AB Habman at 21:57, 2006-09-30

Ya know, I posted in another thread that I think it is likely that Dallas won the trade. So I agree with you AB.

But I have always disliked that punk Ribeiro. And with your eternal love for the guy, it makes it all worth it for me...unless Dallas wins the cup and Riblet wins the conn...

-- Edited by Muller93 at 22:09, 2006-09-30

The thing is Muller, I thought you were into the Ribs deserves another chance mode! I guess that was only out of respect for Gainey.

I'm glad Ribs is gone also but just don't like who's coming back!

Muller93 · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

The thing is Muller, I thought you were into the Ribs deserves another chance mode! I guess that was only out of respect for Gainey.

I'm glad Ribs is gone also but just don't like who's coming back!

Well I would have given him one more go. But I can only assume he was pulling his fruity locker room stunts already. So Gainey pulled the trigger.

AB Habman · Guru

Muller93 wrote:

AB Habman wrote:

The thing is Muller, I thought you were into the Ribs deserves another chance mode! I guess that was only out of respect for Gainey.

I'm glad Ribs is gone also but just don't like who's coming back!

Well I would have given him one more go. But I can only assume he was pulling his fruity locker room stunts already. So Gainey pulled the trigger.

One positive...it got the busy dad posting again!

macneil · Guru

now we'll all have to give ninny a chance to prove his worth to the team , he cant be worse than traverse .

AB Habman · Guru

macneil wrote:

now we'll all have to give ninny a chance to prove his worth to the team , he cant be worse than traverse .

Power · Veteran Member

Niinimaa is a whiner. I didn´t consider Ribs as a team player, but I dislike Niinimaa more. If Ribs was causing troubles in locker room, only way this thing is going to better IF Niinimaa respects Saks enough to stop being crybaby and troublemaker.

Quote from www.jatkoaika.com which is Finnish hockey site: "on the other hand I am disapointed, because Dallas is great organization and team and team mates are great... On the other hand I am glad to go back to Canada and it´s great honour to wear classical shirt of Montreal Canadiens." Translation by ME

-- Edited by Power at 04:20, 2006-10-01

salted_one · Veteran Member

i can only hope that he (Niniima) finds new life in montreal i hear so much bad things about him but does anyone know if he at least has POTENTIAL to be a great move for us? you never know all the peices may be in place here for him to finaly have a break out season ya know? if the ankle thing is true and if he is happier with fellow finnish koivu and he gets a def partner who compliments his style could he possible be a diamond in the rough so to speak?

Nil d · Guru

Power wrote:

Quote from www.jatkoaika.com which is Finnish hockey site: "on the other hand I am disapointed, because Dallas is great organization and team and team mates are great... On the other hand I am glad to go back to Canada and it´s great honour to wear classical shirt of Montreal Canadiens." Translation by ME

So the man has three hands? Interesting............................

barry33 · Guru

JohnM wrote:

Anythings an upgrade when you get rid of Ribs.

Johnny- for one minute can you and Muley forget that Ribs had a run in with Saks 10 years ago and look at this unbiasedly? THere is a reason that Janni has been in more dressing rooms than Madonna. NO ONE WANTS HIM! Dallas grabbed this deal in a heartbeat. I am no Ribs fan and think I have made that clear but I am a habs fan. Center ice was weak to say the least before. Now we are left with "Oh golly gee, maybe we can move Higgins back to Center..he played there in college" or "Oh yayy..we can put Johnson at Center..he played there 5 games last year!".

Nimmonan has been habitually late for practice and in coach's doghouses. We traded one cancer for another.

barry33 · Guru

salted_one wrote:

i can only hope that he (Niniima) finds new life in montreal i hear so much bad things about him but does anyone know if he at least has POTENTIAL to be a great move for us? you never know all the peices may be in place here for him to finaly have a break out season ya know? if the ankle thing is true and if he is happier with fellow finnish koivu and he gets a def partner who compliments his style could he possible be a diamond in the rough so to speak?

Yep..and IF Barry33 can pick the 6 winning numbers tonite he will be a millionaire....when do we stop experimenting and actually make a deal that we KNOW is gonna work?

JohnM · Guru

A deal we know is gonna work, now who's asking for a miracle? C'mon Barry, no deal is guaranteed to work. This deal just might be what both players and teams need. That's what most trades are about.

I for one think Ribs is easily replaceable and that defence is a key for the Habs. Ninima is a puck moving defenceman with size and strength. Put a good coaching staff behind him and we might have ourselves a top three defenceman.

Zulrath · Senior Member

You have to take into account that the Montreal media could have a huge effect on this trade. If he starts to show up to practise hung over or something like that, you know everyone will be all over him. Maybe this will convince him to work harder? Or maybe it will make him even more apathetic. Who knows at this point.

JohnM · Guru

Niniima has played 3 games so far and it seems that he is a solid addition to our defensive core. He is playing almost 20 minutes per game and plays both the PP and PK. He is getting used to his partner and the Habs and hope he can contribute some points for the Habs.

fHABulous · Veteran Member

i have no fear that he will contribute in points in the near future

Habtastic · Guru

My hope is he will continue to play like this and we will be able to trade Souray, move Niniimaa up, and give time to Streit. I am thinking we could land a regular guy to play with Begin and Lats, as well as a 6th D to compete with Streit, for Souray. Maybe to St. Louis for Mayer and Walker? I would wait a few more games though and see how things go, but it is also better to deal from a position of strength and right now we are in that position.

Habtastic