Our 2nd line has been pretty much non existent this year. Ribeiro has been suspect defensively and barely there offensively. No pretty passes. No successful dekes. Even entering the zone (his usual forte) has been one toe drag disaster after another. What do we do to fix our 2nd line? I was thinking it was maybe Morrow but I think I was wrong. I think Ribs is playing pretty awfully. Something has to give. Any suggestions?
Ott as 2nd line center with Vincour and Morrow when he comes back?
I am quickly approaching the point where I would try anything. Ribs is either putting too much on himself or is just having a terribly off year so far. But he seems to be the source of the scoring drought on the 2nd. With all of our third line scoring, we should be better offensively than we've been.
Not sure what the issue is with Ribs....I guess pairing him with Ryder didn't work too well either. Hopefully he snaps out of it, as we need our offense to click now more than ever.
__________________
If you're telekinetic and you know it, clap my hands!
He hasnt really been afforded much time with the puck. Thats partly his fault and partly is teammates fault because they haven't been threats on their own and in the case of Morrow, havent won any physical battles. He doesnt really have the speed to create space for himself as well as you would like. Teams have really pressured him and he hasn't handled the puck very well when theyve done so.
Ott being on Ribeiro's line is part of the reason that Ribeiro isn't producing this year. He's been pretty handcuffed by his linemates. Passing to Ott, Morrow, or Vincour is basically like punting.
It's not like Ribeiro is putting up huge PP numbers when he gets to play with Eriksson or Benn, he only seems to be getting points at home where there are favorable match ups. Maybe its time for a retooling of the 2nd line and consider moving Morrow/Ribeiro.
It's not like Ribeiro is putting up huge PP numbers when he gets to play with Eriksson or Benn, he only seems to be getting points at home where there are favorable match ups. Maybe its time for a retooling of the 2nd line and consider moving Morrow/Ribeiro.
When exactly is ribs playing with benn/eriksson? With morrow out he's been playing with Ryder/Ott on the pp....
I didn't mean he gets a full 2 mins with them or that they are always out there together, but there are shifts on the PP where Benn/Eriksson will be out there with Ribs.
I didn't mean he gets a full 2 mins with them or that they are always out there together, but there are shifts on the PP where Benn/Eriksson will be out there with Ribs.
The only points ribs has had help from benn/eriksson was loui assisting on his 2 goals and i believe that was during the time that the lines were ryder-benn-ott and morrow-loui-ribs
Part of the problem with the PP and the offense in general is the personnel decisions on the PP. Ribeiro should be out there with Benn and Loui on the 1st unit but he isn't. This is one area of game mangement that Gulutzan seems to really struggle with. Benn and Loui not starting every PP is like Detroit rolling out Filppula and Hudler on the 1st unit and letting Datsyuk and Zetterberg both sit. It doesn't make any sense.
He looks like a new player since playing on the top line. Give him good wingers and he is a really good center. It may be time to break up the Morrow/Ribeiro tandem. I only hope that when Morrow returns, Ribby's recent surge continues and rubs off on Morrow. We would use a dangerous 2nd line.
He's just had a new gear since coming back from injury. The same line was sucking it up beforehand. Ribs always seems to find another level come the last third of a season.
I agree Morrow shouldn't be in the top 6 when he comes back, but we'll see if he's more like his last yrs self or this years post recovery.
He's just had a new gear since coming back from injury. The same line was sucking it up beforehand. Ribs always seems to find another level come the last third of a season.
I agree Morrow shouldn't be in the top 6 when he comes back, but we'll see if he's more like his last yrs self or this years post recovery.
who the hell would play in the top 6 for morrow though? Burish, dont think so and we know at this point vincour sure as hell isnt going to get that icetime or he would've already
I think they should try morrow on benns wing. Everyone knows benn likes to play as an independent contractor. Everyone knows morrow is useless at everything but standing in front of the net. It seems to me like a match made in heaven.
I think they should try morrow on benns wing. Everyone knows benn likes to play as an independent contractor. Everyone knows morrow is useless at everything but standing in front of the net. It seems to me like a match made in heaven.
I thought the same thing, but in the past two games we have seen Ott take a few shifts with Ribs while Loui had some shifts with Benn.
I hope you are right that Eriksson and Ryder stay with Ribs for right now, but I know Ott's few shifts with Ribs were caused by a fairly terrible night in the circle for Ribs.
Over the entire season, Benn and Ribeiro are both pretty weak in faceoffs, but Benn is at least closer to 50% while Ribs is grazing 40%.
Riberio has like the worst FO% of any Center who's taken as many draws as him. Not surprising you'll occasionally see Ott out there for a defensive draw.
