Nilan25 Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Now I admit this early in the season I have not paid my usual obsessive attention. BUT! The games I have watched I have not noticed this guy Ninima. Was he not offensively gifted? I have seen no evidence of this, he seems quite invisible, although I noticed he was -2 tonight in a 4-2 win. Also, completly mystfied by the criticism of Kovalev. HE IS THE BEST PLAYER ON THE HABS. Period. He was awesome tonight. My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Now I admit this early in the season I have not paid my usual obsessive attention. BUT! The games I have watched I have not noticed this guy Ninima. Was he not offensively gifted? I have seen no evidence of this, he seems quite invisible, although I noticed he was -2 tonight in a 4-2 win. Also, completly mystfied by the criticism of Kovalev. HE IS THE BEST PLAYER ON THE HABS. Period. He was awesome tonight. My 2 cents. He shure did look good playing his new position while Samsonov and Perezhogin seems the ideal partners to create some firework on that line. I think you have described Niinimaa pretty well, dont forget that Traverse would have been on the ice as our 6th D if Niinimaa had not been obtained by Gainey.......so for me Niinimaa was a correct aquisition under the circumstances.......on the other hand Komisarek just got injured, so with Dandenault, Bouillon and Cote still injured....in the end Traverse might well end-up on the ice after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
option+ Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 (edited) We criticize Kovalev because he has the talent to be the best player on the Habs... but isn't the best player on the Habs. I don't want to turn this into a Kovalev bash-fest, especially not after the past two games. But over the past 30 or 40 games, the best player on the Habs has been one Christopher Higgins. I'd give Niinimaa a break, at least after tonight. He was -2, but more out of fluke than out anything else... he had his best game in quite a while tonight. Niinimaa was a decent offensive player 5 years ago, but then he stopped being able to hit the net from the point, so the Oilers took him off their PP. Since then, he's been pretty much a stay-at-home type. Edited November 1, 2006 by option+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortcat1 Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 If I'm correct, isn't Niinimaa primarily a one-season fill-in for the Canadiens? I don't know how long his contract runs but, at the end of this season it'll all be moot anyway... non? Go :hlogo: Go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitforming Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 I don't want to turn this into a Kovalev bash-fest, especially not after the past two games. But over the past 30 or 40 games, the best player on the Habs has been one Christopher Higgins. Hear! Hear! I'm glad someone has finally said it. And to think I had a heated debate with someone that said "we should trade Higgins now because he was playing way over his head at the end of last season" or something to that effect. Come to think of it ....wasn't a sincere "I'm Sorry" part of the deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsterr Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 As far as Niinimaa is concerned, he's doing fine if you don't notice him. I'm sure Carbo has asked him to just keep things simple. That's all they need from him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleg Petrov Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Niinimaa is a UFA in July. His salary is 2.5, which is heavy for what he does. With Souray, Rivet and Markov UFAing it next summer, too, there's no way he's re-signing - Bouillon, Streit and Dandenault are under contract for next year, and Komi and Cote are RFAs, so at most the Habs will re-sign 2 pricey defencemen. When either of Bouillon or Dandenault come back, I see Carbo sitting Niinimaa ahead of Streit, who's been playing well consistently (and who it looks like they're grooming to replace Souray on the point). Once both injured D are back, I think Gainey would be more than happy to trade Niinimaa for a 38th-round draft pick, especially now that Streit has shown fairly consistent play. But I really doubt anyone would eat his 2.5. That said, I think it was a good move by Gainey under the circumstances - he's not playing well and had a horrid game against Toronto, but imagine having Traverse on the ice for the first 20 games of the season... As unimpressive as Niinimaa is (not to rag on the guy), 7 less goals allowed in that stretch (compared to if Traverse were playing) could end up making the difference between playoffs and no playoffs at the end of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexstream Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 As far as Niinimaa is concerned, he's doing fine if you don't notice him. I'm sure Carbo has asked him to just keep things simple. That's all they need from him he's funny, he's mistake prone, but he's like Cube, he wont stop... so he kinda makes up for his mistakes quick enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 You can't help but think that Ninimaa has got something better in him than he what he's doing right now, but essentially he is a former top rearguard on the decline and a decent #6 guy. I'd think that he'd have some motivation because his contract is expiring and he would want to prove to NHL teams that he is still worth signing, but then again, Ninimaa has made his millions in the NHL and perhaps... at the stage in his career he would like to return to play in an European league when the season ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athlétique.Canadien Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 (edited) IMO: Houston, we do indeed have a problem. Thank goodness for the COAT, CUBE and DANDY :hlogo: Edited November 1, 2006 by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre the Great Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 Thou art not here if thy is spoken doth means thy not doing his job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athlétique.Canadien Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 (edited) JP Cote Edited December 8, 2006 by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Now I admit this early in the season I have not paid my usual obsessive attention. BUT! The games I have watched I have not noticed this guy Ninima. Was he not offensively gifted? I have seen no evidence of this, he seems quite invisible, although I noticed he was -2 tonight in a 4-2 win. Also, completly mystfied by the criticism of Kovalev. HE IS THE BEST PLAYER ON THE HABS. Period. He was awesome tonight. My 2 cents. Yes, wow. Kovy was great. That makes one game this year. Raise the roof. Woot woot. And if you haven't noticed Niinimaa, then he's doing his job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Shortcat... is that a picture of your mom? if so... she was quite a hotty!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CerebusClone Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Maybe if Niinimaa would get some powerplay time instead of Rivet (I like Rivet alot, but he doesn't belong on a powerplay), he might be able to showcase his offensive skills and by the same token get soem his past confidence back. I just don't understand how Rivet is still getting PP time every single game when he's done absolutely nothing offensively this season... I'd rather see Komisarek there, whom I believe has some potential in that role (he's done well offensively in the NCAA and the AHL). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nilan Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hear! Hear! I'm glad someone has finally said it. And to think I had a heated debate with someone that said "we should trade Higgins now because he was playing way over his head at the end of last season" or something to that effect. Come to think of it ....wasn't a sincere "I'm Sorry" part of the deal? Mea culpa. I was wrong. He has been playing great and deserves his spot on the first line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Ninima is second in Blocked shots after Begin! That is something! he is no longer considered a offensive dman i think... reason why you wont see him yet on the PP... I'm sure if (jinx warning) we lose Souray or Streit due to injuries then Ninima would certainly get his shot but for now unless we get 10 straight minutes of PP you wont see Ninima up there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I'll repeat a question I posted weeks ago... So who are we sending down when Dandy and Bouillon come back? or are we trading or waivering Niinima and or Murray Downey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I'll repeat a question I posted weeks ago... So who are we sending down when Dandy and Bouillon come back? or are we trading or waivering Niinima and or Murray Downey? Well right now the Canadiens have 21 active players on the roster. With Dandenault, Bouillon and Higgins all inactive. I would suspect that if Kostitsyn keeps playing up to his capabilities Murray will be put on waivers in attempt to get him to Hamilton. And should Dandenault and Bouillon both retun and the Canadiens not suffer any other injuries on the back end you may see Bob Gainey make a trade or attempt to send one of the guys to the minors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Niinima was not bad at all last night ... not bad at all a few takeaways and good passes... yesterday he played more like what he should as a minimum... murray has got to shape up ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortcat1 Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 IMO: Houston, we do indeed have a problem. Thank goodness for the COAT, CUBE and DANDY :hlogo: COAT??? :?- :?- :?- GO :hlogo: GO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromage Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Niinimaa took a nasty puck to the face. Was pourring blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortcat1 Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 QUOTE(ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN @ Nov 1 2006, 04:29 PM) IMO: Houston, we do indeed have a problem. Thank goodness for the COAT, CUBE and DANDY I'll say it again... who's COAT? GO :hlogo: GO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleg Petrov Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I didn't make the comment, so I can't speak from authority, but I assume coat = jacket = "Streit" jacket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athlétique.Canadien Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 (edited) You have a Cube and a Dandy. Monikers. I don't know Cote's nickname so I improvised. Trying to make a little joke there. I was thinking that a defenceman covers the play like a cloak, or a Cote. Especially in winter playing hockey It get's cold in Canada. We need Coats :can: Niinimaa played well tonight. I hope it continues. Edited December 8, 2006 by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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