brobin

Thats a good point, but I think the jury is still out on Higgins as a center too. He has really found his mojo playing with Koivu, but I am not sure he can be the pivot man. I would prefer they leave him be and let him keep going on the wing with Koivu. That said, I think that if Pleks stuggles, Higgins will probably get a shot at it. Bonk might as well, if he is playing hard.

I hope so as I am on record as seeing Pleks as a number 3 center. I do suspect he will get some time to either show he can do the number 2 job, or that he can't. On the other hand, if we are talking with NJ, time is running out for them and they might be making a deal this week.

Well you guys might be right, Pleks might surprise and be a great number two center. All I am saying is that you are really "hoping" he will, since he never has been before. Ryder becoming a great scorer was a surprise too, but that doesn't mean Pleks will surprise. If you recall, Ryder was awesome from the moment he got on the team. Pleks played last year and looked like a number 3 center, not a number 2. Don't confuse "hope" with "expectations". There has never been evidence that Pleks is a top offensive center, nor has there been expectation for that. I fully expect a trade at some point to get us a top two center. If Pleks really breaks out this year as you hope, I will be very surprised. Very happy too.

I am not convinced. I do think it is Pleks job to lose, but mainly because we have no one else (unless Bonk suddenly reverts to form, which I doubt). The fact remains that Pleks has never been a high point guy at any point in his career. He has alwasy been slotted as a two way center for the third line from what I can see. Sure, he might break out this year, and having Kovy and Sammy is going to help. But, he is also going to learn that the performance by Kovy last night is a once a week thing at best. As for Ribs not keeping up with Kovy, I think that is bunk. When is the last time Kovy "raced up ice"? Even when he skates fast, he does so much east-west, I could keep up with him. I really never saw that as a problem I think the only problem with Ribs and Kovy is that they both have the tendency to try to make too many plays. Both needed to shoot more last year in my opinion. It especially was annoying to see Kovy not shoot since he has such an amazing shot. Like I said, I don't see anyone else on the team taking the number two spot from Pleks (unless Pleks tanks), but I do think the team still needs to trade for another top two center. Oh yeah, interesting quote from Samy last night.. he said ribs being traded was a huge wakeup call for the team, that clearly they were not doing well in the preseason. Surprise surprise, Kovy and Sammy show up for the first time in the preseason.....

For everyone who hated Ribs, I guess you got what you wished for. Hope it doesn't come back to bite you. As for Niinimaa, I think this says more about what Gainey and Carbo think of our defensive prospects then what they think about Ribs. If Niinimaa improves our defense, it shows how weak we were (unless Gainey is hoping for a miracle) I also wonder about the timing. They sign Lats (french canadian hero) and then get rid or Ribs (previous French Canadian hero). I never thought Gainey really cared about that stuff, but I now suspect that even Gainey is not up for a fight with the French media. Imagine if he sent Lats down and traded Ribs... yikes.

For the record, I have been saying that for two years. I still don't know what evidence people have that Pleks is a 2nd line center. He didn't have that kind of production in any level of hockey. He is a good two way center with potential to be great (it doesn't hurt to have Carbo as a coach) in that role. Yes, he might get a decent number of points on a line with Kovy and Sammy, but that depends more on how they play this season then what he brings to the line. People were pretty pumped about Ribs between them too. Ribs and Kovy played well together last year and Samsonov was finally going to add the sniper to the mix that they were missing. I still think this team will be more of a cup contender when we get a much better center to go with Koivu and Pleks goes back to be our number 3 center, where he will be prosper We had a ton of depth at wing, but we were weak at center. This does not make us better at center, imo. I would not be surprised if Perez was the guy Gainey was offering at the start, that would make more sense. It would free up a spot for Lats and get a depth player at D. Better deal too, since Perez was essentially "depth on the wing", a fair trade for a declining depth defenseman.

People were upset that Ribs was only a .75 man last year (and he played some time on 4th line as well). Pleks was a .3 guy and had several shots at the first and second lines due to injuries and did nothing. Higgins really stepped up, but all I saw from Pleks was a guy who could be a solid 3rd line center. Its not that I don't like Pleks, but I see him replacing Bonk, not Ribs. IMO, we will be shopping for a number 2 center at some point. Grabovski might have the potential to replace Ribs, but he probably needs a year or two of seasoning first. Pleks is a better fit on the third line, imo.

Why does everyone think Pleks is going to be a more offensive center then Ribs? There is nothing in Pleks past hockey history that indicates that he is anything more then a strong two way center. He has never put up big numbers in the past and I see no reason why he would now. Playing with kovy and Sammy he might get 50 to 60 points, but I figured Ribs would do better then that if Sammy and Kovy actually show up for all the games and don't get injured. In the end, I believe the team is going to need to get a more offensively gifted center to replace Ribs.

I sure hope Huet show some decent play soon.. I am starting to get worried. It might be only preseason, but he has looked awful.

Kind of dissappointed for Ribs, I felt he was going to have a good year. I don't think we really got much for him. I would have hoped we got at least a better defenseman. I sure hope Pleks or Bonk can fill in. For all the hoopla over Pleks, he is going to need to pick up the point totals this year. If he doesn't get over 60 points, we are in trouble. As for Niinimaa, we don't need 6 defenseman that can be a 5/6 defense. We need someone at Markov's level at least to really get better. Perhaps another trade is in the works...

Perezhogen is working his way off the team with all the lazy penalties he is taking. Very dissappointed in him so far this camp.

Okay, I am on the bandwagon.. lets put lats on a line with ribs and kovy. Ribs and Lats are clicking like Higgins and Koivu last year.

This is better, and not because they are winning, but because they are skating hard and scoring. The young guns (and Higgins!) are showing their stuff tonight and working hard. Glad to see it!

okay, where is the faster feed.

This is why I was annoyed with Samy and Kovy.. them not showing up brought the team down (IMO). With them out and the vets who are playing working hard, the whole team is flying and the young guys are getting to show their stuff. Preseason or not, this is a team game and you have to take it seriously. Damn Sens... 4 -3

Sounds like Ribs and Lats play well together. Nice goal (it sounds like )

Good points PB... I am not saying guys should be playing over the top, diving in front of pucks, etc, but hard skating would not hurt some of them. If they are in so much danger of getting hurt just by playing normally, then I question their durability. I was thinking about the old adage of why working hard in practice is so important. I forget which coach said it, but basically, you play the way you practice. Practice hard if you want success. I view preseason as practice. Is it just a coincidence that the players floating out there in preseason are the same ones who typically get accused of floating during the season? I think their attitude needs adjusting and fast before it becomes habit forming.

There is enough parity now in the league that success or failure will by and large depend on how the players individually do. For example, if Huet sucks, we are in trouble. If some of our top players get injured, or have off years, we are in trouble. This team has potential to be a 2nd round team, but the odds of going much farther are low (not impossible mind you). Will the team live up to its potential... hard to say.

Don't know if he will eventually be a captain or not, but I am glad he said what we all know, the effort so far has sucked.

I don't want to pick on you since many here have expressed that thought, but I find it illogical. Just because we had a good preseason and then did poorly one year does not imply that having a bad preseason is okay. The preseason win/loss stats don't matter as much as how the team comes together, how the prospects play, and how the team improves. So far, the Habs look terrible, few prospects are doing very well, and our main goalies have not found their comfort zone yet. Some players just don't seem to care. Contrast us with the leafs.. they played their big guns, and they showed they were coming into form for the season well. The next game they played their young guns against our vets, and showed speed, skill, and a desire to win. Raycroft showed his team he is ready to go and started building confidence in him. I would say the Leafs are having a good camp, and bodes well for them. It doesn't quarantee them a great season, but there are starting off on the right foot. The habs are not gettting off to a great start and like most games they play, need to try and come back from behind.

That is partially true, but where is the sense of team work. Locke was a young guy trying to show his stuff last night, but had two anchors hanging from him by the name of Samsonov and Kovalev. I am sure Locke is not impressed that his "teammates" didn't do a damn thing to help him. I also notice that Koivu is not floating out there, nor Ryder, nor Higgens, nor Pleks.... No one is expecting the guys to play like it is game 7 of the finals, but they need to put in some effort to help get ready for the season. Let's hope that some of these guys pick it up, at least to the point of pond hockey.

LOL, the Riberio experiment has falled. Talk about having an agenda. Does every post you make have to blame Ribs. He was not even playing last night and Kovy and Samsonov looked terrible. It doesn't matter who plays with Kovalev and Samsonov right now because they are not putting in even the most minimal effort. That is not Ribs fault, that is the fault of Kovalev and Samsonov. I will wait until those guys show up and see how Ribs does this year. By the way, Ribs is a bargain at that price. Look around the league at 2nd line centers with his average point totals who were eligible for arbitration.. they got much more then that!

The last few games, it looked like Kovy and Samsonov that can't keep up with Ribs... In my opinion, we won't know how that line will do with Ribs as the center until the Russians decide to get out of bed and start playing. I felt bad for Locke, poor kid should have had some talented wingers to help him show his stuff. He would have been better off playing with downey and murray. I am not sure why everyone on this board is willing to give Kovy such a free ride. Yes, it is preseason, but there are players trying hard to make the team and the vets should be helping, not hurting them. Kovy needs to get used to playing with Samsonov, as does Ribs. The only way to do that is to actually put some effort in now during the exhibition games. I swear, if Ribs was mailing it in like that this board would be flaming the crap out of him. Porr attitude, blah, blah blah... From what I have seen, Ribs was the only guy on that line trying the last few games. People felt he was sent a message by not playing last night, but think it was the other guys. They were told, "you want a night off, put some effort in". I wonder if Carbo gave Ribs the night off because he earned it, whereas Kovy and Samsonov did not. Kudos to Koivu, he has played every game like he wants to win, like he wants to score, and like he can't wait to be back playing hockey. If Kovalev had that attitude, he would be in the top 5 in the league every year. Must make players like Koivu sick watching him waste his talent....

I think we can official stop blaming Ribs for the 2nd line woes. The Russians are the real problem right now. Zero shots on goal. Zero effort. Koivu's line looked good, it shows that they "click" and they were well rested. They had a lot of jump and looked good out there. Ryder's hands look to be in mid-season form. The young guns are not impressing me right now. Lats is not bad, he at least looks interested. Price was good as well. Send the rest home. Huet.. I sure hope its rust, but the opposition goalies don't look rusty. Price doesn't look rusty... hope Huet snaps out of it soon! As for the leafs.. well, Raycroft is playing well and Steen, Stajin, etc looked fast and skilled. They might do better then we think.

Actually, we know nothing of the sort. In fact, some commentators have said that ribs was looking okay, Kovalev was floating, and Samsonov was missing a lot of nice passes. I suspect they need time to gel, and in the case of Kovalev, the season to start before we will see what this line is made of.