Ribs VS Niinimaa

Johab · Guru

Ribs VS Niinimaa

skandel · Member

Johab wrote:

Here are the lines i think will be put in place for the season opener

Ryder-Koivu-Higgins

Kovalev-Plekanec-Samsonov

Perezhogin-Bonk-Latendresse

Johnson-Begin-Murray

Markov-Souray

Rivet-Niinimaa

Dandenault-Komisarek

Traverse/Streit pressbox

Is this a guess of what the lines will be, or did you get this from a source.

Because I would doubt that Johnson is being placed on the 4th line. He was a offseason acuisition and has been one of our best, most consistant players during the preseason.

Also, your d pairs look kinda weird.

I would htink the lineup looks more like this:

Higgins - Koivu - Ryder

Samsamov - Plekanec - Kovalev

Perizzogin/Latendresse - Bonk - Johnson

Murray - Begin - Latendresse/Perrizogin

Markov - Komesarek (they looked good together when the finished the season in this pairing)

Souray - Rivet (Markov and Souray play the same side, so they def wont play together)

Dandenault - Niinema/Streit/Boullion (Streit has looked good so dont expet him to give up his spot to easily, but im sure the spot is Boullions once he gets healthy. I hope that Niinema gets back on track, cause it will give us some serious depth at D)

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Johab wrote:

First off, i am in the "This was Ribeiros break-out year " category. BUT that was BEFORE the pre-season. I saw nothing of ANY sort of chemistry between this line and even in practice, they all looked out of place. Pleks steps in and the line scored 3 goals. Then again it is only one game

Sure a few of yoiu are probably saying, pre-season means nothing, Ribeiro would have bounced back and had his career year between Kovy and Sammy. Personally, i HOPED that that would happen, and riberio REALLY tried this offseason to build up his game and get things going. Sadly, none of us will ever know if it was enough.

I thought Ribs would bounce back too, but after the first few games of preseason, no one, including Carbonneau, was thinking he would be between Kovalev and Samsonov. They all wanted to carry the puck, and he showed great chemistry with finishers like Kostsitsyn. His line would have had to include at least one of the following: Kost, Latendresse, Ryder, Higgins, or even Johnson. But I do agree, it seems like Plek has a lot better chemistry there.

Also, I hope we don't keep 2 defense in the press box. It would make no sense. Either we should save some cap space by keeping 22 players, or bring up Kost, Grabo, Locke, Lapierre, Ferland, or Chip. (My vote is Locke, since it would stunt his devolopment the least, he is a centre, and if there are injuries to another position, someone else can be called up.

habgirl · Guru

Johab wrote:

Thing is, when our team is healthy, one of those 6 ( because i presume we will NOT be carrying 7 ) will have to sit....or be traded. Komisarek is entering HIS career year. Markov should be taking another step into becoming a top 2 defenseman on ANY team ( except for Anahiem ) Rivet is a solid, quiet, does his job defenseman. Boullion is our dark horse spark plug and that leaves souray. I SERIOUSLY think this guy will be traded sometime during the season in a package deal with one of our goalies for that #1 centre

Johab, I hate to say it but I agree with you. If Niinimaa actually plays, Souray is probably a goner (and if Huet plays, Abby's toast). I don't like it, because I would keep Souray over Ninny any day of the week. But we're damned if we do and damned if we don't because if Ninny plays like he has in the past NOBODY is going to want him and we're stuck. If he plays well somebody's gotta go and I think it would be Shelley.

skandel · Member

Traveling Hab wrote:

Also, I hope we don't keep 2 defense in the press box. It would make no sense. Either we should save some cap space by keeping 22 players, or bring up Kost, Grabo, Locke, Lapierre, Ferland, or Chip. (My vote is Locke, since it would stunt his devolopment the least, he is a centre, and if there are injuries to another position, someone else can be called up.

Dont forget that Dandenault can be played as a forward as well. So that gives the Habs somemroe options as far as extra bodies.

Just a thought...

Johab · Guru

Doesnt mean he is any good at it though. Im sorry but i rank EVERY player who is playing forward on the habs ( thats including guys like downey and murray ) before Dandenault as a forward. Yes hes damn fast, but skating alone will not put the puck in the net. Dandenault is not the best offensively minded guy and id MUCH rather see some talent from hamilton take a spot on the offensive line before we switch dandy in there...

skandel · Member

I agree with your assesment of Dandenault. Although i doubt he would be put in an offensive roll. If he was used as a forward it would be in a situation where we are icing 7 defencemen and he plays btoh forward and D, like he did at one point last year.

Although i think if they bring up a young gun from hamilton it should be Grabouski once his injury is healed. he looked so fast and (unlike Dandenault, lol) can put the puck in the net.

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Dandenault is useful as a utility forward. Ie if someone twists their ankle on the way to the rink. If there is not time to call someone up, he will be used, but he is not a 'Plan A'.

And Johab, when you were talking about which of our top six would sit when Bouillon comes back, you forgot about Dandenault. He would certinly sit ahead of Souray. And like I said on another post, we are weaker on D than at centre, so we would hardly drop Souray for that number one centre, unless we also dropped a top prospect or Aebischer and one of our current D on an upgrade on D first.

Figaro · Guru

I dunno, I really want to side with Johab on this one. I think that we could land that #1 centre with his deal. But, I think we'll get a good look at some rookies first because, heck, a rookie #1 centre is cheaper AND is better for the future of the team. It really is too bad we have too many good prospect

As far as Ribs vs Ninny, well, when both players stink, then we all win. Having Ribs moved out is great, like I said, because it opens up another spot for our young stars. And we seem to have more than our fair share. I think we're set until late Nov-Dec before there are other major moves, if at all. We've gotta let the lines gel some (after the last pre-season game, it looks like we don't have to wait too long for that chemistry.)

AB Habman · Guru

I can't believe you guys! You're speculating that because we now have Niniima that we will lose Souray or Dandy can play forward. Trust me, those guys bring way more on D than Nitwitma. Niniima's strength was offensive skating. The problem with Nitwit is between the ears. He's big but just as big of a head case...plays small. Actually think Cote would have offered more this season than Nitwit.

I'm sad that we lost Cube and Cote to injury because now we have two zeros to take their place...Reverse and Nitwit.

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Just curious, what number one centre do you guys think we could get for Aebischer and Souray?

Souray had a bad year last year, and there is an overabundance of decent starting goalies in the league. Remember also that we are close to the salary cap limit, so we can't have anyone for more than the 4.4 million we would drop in the deal. Just for reference, that is less than Koivu is getting paid, and he is not overpaid. That means to get someone better than him a team would have to be willing to give up someone they are getting a very good deal on.

I don't see it, but if you can throw some names around and the teams who would be willing to give them up for Souray and Aebischer then maybe I will believe.

Diehardhabsfan · Veteran Member

Patrick Marleau, but probably wouldn't happen because as of right now San Jose is set with 2 #1 goalies.

skandel · Member

AB Habman wrote:

I can't believe you guys! You're speculating that because we now have Niniima that we will lose Souray or Dandy can play forward. Trust me, those guys bring way more on D than Nitwitma. Niniima's strength was offensive skating. The problem with Nitwit is between the ears. He's big but just as big of a head case...plays small. Actually think Cote would have offered more this season than Nitwit.

I'm sad that we lost Cube and Cote to injury because now we have two zeros to take their place...Reverse and Nitwit.

First off I wasnt saying they should move Dandenault up front. I was just saying he is able to play both positions and it gives the habs options, like icing 7 defencemen, which they did at points last year. Again, im not saying they SHOULD do this, Im just saying they CAN.

As far as a trade, i wouldnt count on Gainey trading away dandenault or souray. As i stated we now have nice depth at d, why would gainey want to ruin that. As far as adding another centre goes, I think we would first see how Plecs does in his new role, and then only if its a bust, make a move. Why would Gainey make a trade after the line had a 3 goal night? Also there is no 1st line centre on the market. Im sick of people talking abuot Marlowe like he will be a Hab. The Sharks dont want to trade him, so all the speculation is meaningless. And you know if gainey traded for a centre and it wasnt a top guy, you guys would be all over him for adding people at the detriment of our youth.

If gainey does make a move, expect it to be well down the road, most likely at the deadline.

Habtastic · Guru

I've said it before and I will say it again: Dandenault should be played as the 4th-line RW. The guy knows how to play forward because that is what he played until Bowman switched him to D. He would give us speed and grit up front, as well as give the coaching staff more options. We would also be able to play all our D and really see what Streit and Niniima have to offer. The extra players would then be Murray and Downey... I can live with that.

Habtastic

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Diehardhabsfan wrote:

Patrick Marleau, but probably wouldn't happen because as of right now San Jose is set with 2 #1 goalies.

Exactly. They do not need what we have. There are too many starting goalied in the league, until some get injured, Aebischer has zero trade value. Souray also has little trade value since he underperformed last year, but at least defensemen are overvalued right now. The best we could get for those to RIGHT NOW is a third line centre, and we don't need that.

barry33 · Guru

Figaro wrote:

I dunno, I really want to side with Johab on this one. I think that we could land that #1 centre with his deal. But, I think we'll get a good look at some rookies first because, heck, a rookie #1 centre is cheaper AND is better for the future of the team. It really is too bad we have too many good prospect

As far as Ribs vs Ninny, well, when both players stink, then we all win. Having Ribs moved out is great, like I said, because it opens up another spot for our young stars. And we seem to have more than our fair share. I think we're set until late Nov-Dec before there are other major moves, if at all. We've gotta let the lines gel some (after the last pre-season game, it looks like we don't have to wait too long for that chemistry.)

Both players have piss poor attitudes. Both players have been inconsistent. Both players were not wanted by any other team in the league..yep..sounds like a wash to me.

heet_150 · Guru

Heard an interview this morning where a journalist in Dallas was talking about the trade. Said some nice things about both players, then he said the last thing Habs fans want to hear, if Niinmaa isn't in the top two defensive pairings, he can get a pout on. Oh, great.

barry33 · Guru

heet_150 wrote:

Heard an interview this morning where a journalist in Dallas was talking about the trade. Said some nice things about both players, then he said the last thing Habs fans want to hear, if Niinmaa isn't in the top two defensive pairings, he can get a pout on. Oh, great.

Yep..nice upgrade in attitude. But I will give the guy a benefit of a doubt as I did Ribs. Sometimes a change in scenery is all that is needed. Hopefully Koivu can keep his comrade in line.

heet_150 · Guru

You know Barry, you're right. I have also heard of some of former teammates (Robidas - someone else posted the interview) say that Niinimaa had some issues with the injury, he's a good, solid guy type stuff. I too was first in line to give Ribeiro a chance this year, so why not Niinimaa?

ScottishHAB · Veteran Member

Exactly- the guy deserves the same chance as everybody else.He does seem a touch expensive though!