Plek, Zednik, Ribs, Kovalev were the 4 most visible players during the playoffs (post-saku injury). So for you to say that Ribs disapeared is absolutely ridiculous. You could say that he choked, seeing as he was robbed of at least 4 scoring chances, but to say that he didn't show up is just stupid. Funny that everyone can talk about Ribs playing so bad in the playoffs but our beloved Markov and Komisarek's names never come up, even if they were our worst defensive pairing for the post-season, funny how many double standards there really are...
Ribs was noticable because of his lousy play. He was robbed? On what, the pathetically weak wrister that he floated in towards the net that Ward probably almost bobbled because it was going so damn slow. Or maybe the one timer that had so little power behind it that Ward had all day to move across to block it, or maybe a few of those beautiful set ups that Kovy gave him that he totally missed the puck on and almost tripped over(coincidently, as it was brought up earlier, you never heard Alex come out and say to the press, "If Ribs was converting on all the nice set-ups I've given him we wouldn't have lost").
As I said we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not going to change your mind nor you mine.
I think everyone will agree that Ribeiro is the weakest link of our current line-up. If we had a stronger and faster second line C, our team would be in a really great shape and we would have virtually no big weakness.
I think everyone will agree that Ribeiro is the weakest link of our current line-up. If we had a stronger and faster second line C, our team would be in a really great shape and we would have virtually no big weakness.
I agree that he's the weakest link due to the position he plays. This might not be true if he was a winger or a third line centerman.
I think everyone will agree that Ribeiro is the weakest link of our current line-up. If we had a stronger and faster second line C, our team would be in a really great shape and we would have virtually no big weakness.
We also all know that he's our best option at the second line C, so why does everyone continue to discuss the past, instead of looking forward to next season? People seem to love whining.
We also all know that he's our best option at the second line C, so why does everyone continue to discuss the past, instead of looking forward to next season? People seem to love whining.
Everyone is discussing this, because as Habs Fans, Ribs as the # 2 Centre is one of the biggest concerns (if not the biggest)
By the By - visible Habs in last years playoffs - you forgot Perezhogin (among others) Just wanted to mention Perezhogin, who played his best hockey in the playoffs.
aww shucks, you are correct. Just thought you were implying that Ribs wasn't working out hard enough. My mistake.
As for what he said...anyone humble enough (my god, am i thinking that Ribs was humble? Err...I don't want to go there...) would probably say the same thing...course the question then becomes, is Ribs humble...it would be rather a long time if ever before people would call him that...
As for him not stepping up, agreed. He has had numerous chances and squandered a lot of them (except 03 regular season). Unfortunately so has a lot of the other players... which means, the Habs does seem to have a lot of room for improvement
I agree with that, the only players on our team that I'd say give 100% every night are:
Koivu
Begin
Higgins
Rivet
Bouillon
Plekanec
Murray
Guys I'd say give it most of the time:
Ryder
Souray
Dandenault
Markov
Bulis(replaced with Johnson)
Guys that are spotty:
Kovalev
Ribeiro
Bonk
Zednik(replaced with Samsonov)
Ones I won't count:
Perezhogin(not all rookies are consistent)
Komisarek(had an aweful year with his mom passing away)
I hardly see how adding a few pounds wouldnt benefit him greatly. For starters, it could allow him to develop a shot that pee-wee goalies would fear. He could also control the puck longer allowing for linemates to find the open ice... i mean, that is part of what a playmaker should do. We already know he won't get any faster.
A centerman, usually, has the capacity of making his linemates play better than they actually are suppose to do. I believe it was the case with Higgins last year, thanks to Saks, I obviously don't believe it was the case with Kovy and Perez. Most of us were hard with Perez, me included, but we should've looked in the direction of the centerman he played with. Immediately after being placed on Pleks trio, he began showing a lot more.....
It's all about chemistry, I believe Ribeiro has a tough time finding it with whoever he's playing. Hope that could change with Sammy.....But also hope Sammy and Kovy won't have to slow down in order for Ribs to catch up.....
A centerman, usually, has the capacity of making his linemates play better than they actually are suppose to do. I believe it was the case with Higgins last year, thanks to Saks, I obviously don't believe it was the case with Kovy and Perez. Most of us were hard with Perez, me included, but we should've looked in the direction of the centerman he played with. Immediately after being placed on Pleks trio, he began showing a lot more.....
It's all about chemistry, I believe Ribeiro has a tough time finding it with whoever he's playing. Hope that could change with Sammy.....But also hope Sammy and Kovy won't have to slow down in order for Ribs to catch up.....
Hopefully there will be some nice tic tac toe PP goals.
I wont talk about the size issue cuz i always open a can of worms when i talk about this. Ribeiro just doesnt look fit out there, size has nothing to do with this. Everybody who watch this guy play can tell that he could use some extra conditionning. Ribs is not physically gifted and i can bet my house hes not the type of guy who gets up at 6 am to run a mile, go to the gym and then work on his skating and fundamentals everyday. Thats what he should do cuz thats what great players do.
Im always on his back because i really love his game, he had a chance to be special but he didnt push himself enough to get there. I honnestly hope that hell be great this year but i wouldnt be mad to see Grabovsky get his spot
We also all know that he's our best option at the second line C, so why does everyone continue to discuss the past, instead of looking forward to next season? People seem to love whining.
Translation: If Ryder converted on half the scoring chances I've given him, we wouldn't be having this problem.
Disgusting, isn't it?
what i find disgusting is the way you only quoted a part of the interview , ignoring the part where he said ''that it's not a blame on Ryder , because this last was having 5-6 good shuts each of the last games . ''
I saw the same story in another media ; the quote was different and was directly adressed to the journalists themselves ; '' For sure , If Ryder converted on half the scoring chances I've given him, we wouldn't be here having this CONVERSATION . '' A way to say that if his line was scoring a bunch of goals , he wouln't be there , having to answered the repetitive question of the Medias peoples ( how to explain that the team doesn't score )
Even Jean Perron finally realized Ribs cant skate against top level opposition...
Some people are laughing about what is said at time on RDS talkback, you find some funny read anywhere, HF isnt a different board.
What is so hard to understand?? Ribs is too weak and too slow to compete at a high level, he has good hands and good vision but the way the game is played today, its coming fast, you have less and less time to react, to control the puck... You have to have the speed/quickness on your side, you have to know how to use your body to protect the puck effectively, to keep control of the puck. So Ribs has poor foot speed, poor hustle and is so easy to knock out of the puck its not even funny... He only relies on his playmaking skills cause he has absoluly no shot, nothing to effraid the worst back-up of the league.. Plekanec is a way better fit for the second line center spot, a Samsonov Plekanec Kovalev line would be easily one of the best second one in the league.
Last edited by NewHabsEra: 08-02-2006 at 09:46 PM.
and if Saku is injured , Plekanec is going to be the first line center of our team . Bravo ! , what a team we would have !
Same could be said about 90% of the teams.. You cant control injuries... We still have Plekanec, Jonhson, Bonk, Murray.. Higgins and Begin can play center as well if needed. We still dont know what to expect from Grabovski, can play center and could do some serious noise during the camp... So even if Koivu gets injured, we still have some depth to make a pretty decent line-up.
a) win face-offs with a 48-52% effectiveness.
b) play as intense as he did last play-offs.
c) grow wing and fly on the ice to match Kovalev's speed (the problem I've noticed with ribs is that he's slow with the puck but fairly fast without it - my point is that he's got NHL foot-speed)
I think everyone will agree that Ribeiro is the weakest link of our current line-up. If we had a stronger and faster second line C, our team would be in a really great shape and we would have virtually no big weakness.
Question ; why the people are always saying that he's lazy because he don't work on his weak point ---when i never read that about any other players of the team ?
Why we never say that Ryder didn't work his puck control , or his vision ? why we never say that Saku is in the NHL since 10 years , and never worked on his smooth shut or on his scorer abilities ?. I just give those 2 exemples because they are the firsts that came to my mind , but you can do the same kind of comments with anyone else , in the team . why Bouillon didn't try to grow up during the summer time ?
it is not that i think that Ribeiro doesn't have something to work on it ; we all know he's not fast and strong , but my point is only to show that all the players have something that the could work on it .
Last edited by goalchenyuk: 08-04-2006 at 11:21 PM.
Well...I'll put it this way. If you replace Ribeiro with a guy like Rod Brind’Amour you give a total new dimension to our 2nd line center. We'd have 2 kick *** lines and the centers for our lines 1 to 3 would also be intense/energetic players with speed. It would realy take this team to an other level.
Just thought you were implying that Ribs wasn't working out hard enough. My mistake. 
