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Koivu and Kovy..


Partisan

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Short question but i just wonder why...

Why in all the combinations tried, havent we seen Koivu and Kovalev together since Zednik left? I dont remember many tries to get those two back together...Strangely that was one of their best moments a few year back..

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Short question but i just wonder why...

Why in all the combinations tried, havent we seen Koivu and Kovalev together since Zednik left? I dont remember many tries to get those two back together...Strangely that was one of their best moments a few year back..

Last year, to start the year (2005-06), they tried the same line as the 2004 playoffs (Zed-Koivu-Kovy). The offense turned anemic, and the Kovalev injury didn't help things. Koivu at the end of the year found chemistry with Ryder and Higgins, while Kovalev was working out with Ribs and Bulis. They did pair Koivu and Kovalev for short periods of time this past season, but it didn't stick. From what I remember post-lockout, Koivu and Kovy did not appear to think similarly at all. Both wanted to set the plays up and no one was finishing.

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This question has been asked many times.

I believe the answer is to spread out the offensive talent.

There must be another explanation.

Last year, to start the year (2005-06), they tried the same line as the 2004 playoffs (Zed-Koivu-Kovy). The offense turned anemic, and the Kovalev injury didn't help things. Koivu at the end of the year found chemistry with Ryder and Higgins, while Kovalev was working out with Ribs and Bulis. They did pair Koivu and Kovalev for short periods of time this past season, but it didn't stick. From what I remember post-lockout, Koivu and Kovy did not appear to think similarly at all. Both wanted to set the plays up and no one was finishing.

I remember that too, but they could have given them another chance.

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How's this: Where would you put Ryder?

That's just it, and was part of the problem in '05-'06. Ryder's the best shot on the team, I liked him with the best set up man (who tends to go behind the net to try and set things up, whereas Kovy sets up from the sideboards). So Koivu and Ryder make sense as a pair. When Ribs and Ryder failed to click in '05-'06, and Zednik dropped off, we really needed to get offence. So the switch occured.

I don't know how well Plekanec and Ryder would work together, maybe that'd be different. But I like Koivu and Ryder, though defensively they have to step up big time.

And actually, Ryder played LW at the start of his rookie campaign. So a Ryder-Koivu-Kovalev line would be interesting in that respect.

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:hlogo: Next year they need to me left together and go and sign Nik Antropov to play with them.

nik antropov ??!! If they say he's not good enough for sundin, I don't see how he'd be good for koivu !!

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And actually, Ryder played LW at the start of his rookie campaign. So a Ryder-Koivu-Kovalev line would be interesting in that respect.

It would be very intesting indeed to see how low can they get in the +/-, i would see a -20 for each player after 20 games.

Even Higgins with his amazing defensive instincts could not stop the flow of goals with Koivu and Ryder together. They even tryed Mike Johnson and at the end Mark Streit as a third defenseman to cover for Koivu and Ryder. With Kovalev it would be HORRIBLE.

First what do we do with Ryder ?? Would somebody here cry tears of blood if Bob would sign him(RFA) and trade him part of a package deal to get a good right defenseman or a centerman.

Kovalev and Koivu with Perezhogin, that i would try.

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It would be very intesting indeed to see how low can they get in the +/-, i would see a -20 for each player after 20 games.

Even Higgins with his amazing defensive instincts could not stop the flow of goals with Koivu and Ryder together. They even tryed Mike Johnson and at the end Mark Streit as a third defenseman to cover for Koivu and Ryder. With Kovalev it would be HORRIBLE.

First what do we do with Ryder ?? Would somebody here cry tears of blood if Bob would sign him(RFA) and trade him part of a package deal to get a good right defenseman or a centerman.

Kovalev and Koivu with Perezhogin, that i would try.

works for me.

and no, I wouldn't cry if we could replace Ryder's goals... Thing is, as much as he's not my favourite, he's the only consistent 30 goal scorer we have right now, and we need ALL the goals we canget.

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  • 1 month later...
It could be something like the captain doesn't want to play with kovalev.

Bullshyte. Koivu's played alongside just about every forward that the coaches have chosen for him.

The problem with putting Kovalev, Koivu and Ryder together is that with Ryder shooting from the left side, it's easier for him to get the one timer off a pass from the left side. Kovalev normally works from the right side. If Ryder isn't moving into the shot, he has to either shoot off his inside foot or stop the pass, turn and then get the shot away. If Kovalev worked more into the corner, it could make the one-time pass easier, but I haven't seen him try that with much consistency.

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First what do we do with Ryder ?? Would somebody here cry tears of blood if Bob would sign him(RFA) and trade him part of a package deal to get a good right defenseman or a centerman.

I wouldn't even cry tears of fresh water. Maddeningly inconsistent player. Tremendous shot from one place on the ice. Won't drive the net consistently. Horrendous on the puck, head down, no vision whatsoever, mediocre scorer.

If he would bang in front more consistently and borrow some of Marty McSorely's Extra-Wide sticks, he'd be scoring 40 a season. Great trade bait, imo.

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This question has been asked many times.

I believe the answer is to spread out the offensive talent.

This was the motto at the beginning of the season, but once the coach discovered

that none of the original players assigned to the second line duty were anything

but '' offensive threats '' the musical chair was set in motion......of which, just about anything

was tried except for pairing Koivu to Kovalev.

The fact that this wasn't even done in time of emergency and even in the mist of the free fall crisis led me to believe that Koivu made it expicit to the coach that he didn't want it to happens.....either that or Carbo didn't wants to abuse of Koivu's patience and make his life more mesirable than it should.

Lets face it, Kovalev was a pain to play with last year,....as things are, I would suggest that he is also

a serious element of dissuation to any top UFA players considering MTL as a destination.....who would really want to line-up with him at this stage of their career ?

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Kovalev has been a pain to play with most of his career.

The 2nd line of higgins pleks kosty did a great job down the stretch and kept the Habs in it.

I would expect them to be kept together.

Who knows what the top line will look like:

Lats koivu Ryder

Lats koivu Kovalev

I'm sure Carbo will come up with something.

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Those are nice, er, second lines.

Higgins-Briere-Plecks???

Maybe dreaming with Briere.

You know what, if the Habs had 3 # 2 lines next year, and 1 shut-down/energy line, then I would think that was dandy.

I'd be surprised if we end up getting a quality A-1 center via trade this summer. I don't think that Gainey wants to mortgage the future quite yet.

Higgins-Plecks-Kostitsyn

Ryder - Koivu - Latendress

Samsonov - Grabovsky - Kovalev (don't think those two are heading anywhere unless we get junk back)

Begin - Chippchura -Johnson

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You know what, if the Habs had 3 # 2 lines next year, and 1 shut-down/energy line, then I would think that was dandy.

I'd be surprised if we end up getting a quality A-1 center via trade this summer. I don't think that Gainey wants to mortgage the future quite yet.

Higgins-Plecks-Kostitsyn

Ryder - Koivu - Latendress

Samsonov - Grabovsky - Kovalev (don't think those two are heading anywhere unless we get junk back)

Begin - Chippchura -Johnson

I know we're stuck with Kovy, but NO Sammy!!!! That bridge was burned... we'll probably get junk back and put that in the line up over playing Sammy. and yeah, Lapierre will be there somewhere (Ryder gone via trade, Kovy or Grabs on the Koivu line, Johnson moved up to one of the "2nd" lines, and Lapierre on the energy line?)

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The topic is Kovy and Koivu. It's about high paid low rewards players.

These two players shoull be pulled out of any leadership situation.

The real leader of this team is Higgins, while Koivu is the honorary captain.

The thing is that we have no idea what the team sill look like next year, but we all wish somewhere that a new flame will light the torch.

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The topic is Kovy and Koivu. It's about high paid low rewards players.

These two players shoull be pulled out of any leadership situation.

The real leader of this team is Higgins, while Koivu is the honorary captain.

The thing is that we have no idea what the team sill look like next year, but we all wish somewhere that a new flame will light the torch.

I like Higgins A LOT, and I think he should get an A next year and build to take over the C when Koivu retires, but he's not the real leader on this team until Koivu either retires or is traded... I Totally disagree with your Koivu comments. YOu can't even begin to put Kovy and Koivu in the same boat. Kovy's high paid, low reward, but Koivu's the guy who led our team in points this year and had a career year; ALL COMING BACK FROM A HORRENDOUS EYE INJURY!!! he just couldn't do it all by himself...

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