Spector's Rumor - Aebischer To Tampa

[Fanpuck33]

You had great points up there except the Ribiero thing. Again, he wasn't a good second line center in Montreal, why would teams trade for him? The habs would be lucky if they could get a third round pick for the guy.

Habs fans are jaded when it comes to Ribeiro. All we see is the lack of effort on most nights. It was the same problem with Yanic Parreault. With another team, Ribeiro could thrive. Just look at Yanic, who doubled his production with a new team. It takes a lot of heart to play in Montreal, and he just doesn't have it. In a non-tranditional hockey city like Tampa, there would be less pressure and possibly a system better suited to his game. He still has value.

[Theberge43]

Ribeiro is a excellent throw in in a trade for Vinny. He can put up points on the board. Plus, with St-Louis you have the start of a Timbits line ! LOL

And don't forget Feaster is the guy who just gave 7.8 millions to Brad Richards ... he's looking more and more like Mike Milbury. Which is good news for BG, if he's really targeting Vinny.

[GoHabs2002]

Habs fans are jaded when it comes to Ribeiro. All we see is the lack of effort on most nights. It was the same problem with Yanic Parreault. With another team, Ribeiro could thrive. Just look at Yanic, who doubled his production with a new team. It takes a lot of heart to play in Montreal, and he just doesn't have it. In a non-tranditional hockey city like Tampa, there would be less pressure and possibly a system better suited to his game. He still has value.

I agree. People don't appreciate the kind of player it takes to play in a city like Montreal, or New York. Some would say Toronto, but Toronto tend to glorify their players rather than critique every shortcoming. In NY or MTL you either put up or people don't shut up.

I believe Ribeiro loves playing in Montreal and I think it would hurt him initially to be traded, my including him in the trade is simply because with Vinny and Saks there would be no need/room for him.

I still expect him to break out later in his career, once he matures fully, à la Brière. Believe it or not, but Ribs has seemed to mature a lot in the past 3 seasons and he seemed to have taken more of a leadership role on the ice and that is good news. Now if his production and consistency can come increase, then he has much more market value.

[habschris]

I agree it's a tough place to play from what i here, i live in Colorado so i i know nothing of the pressure, but your making my point, i'm not sure if i care if he has matured over the last few years, his production has went down.

I could play center for Kovalev and wind up with 10 points a year.

I think the comparison with Perrault doesn't make alot of sense, Perrault reliably put up 20-30 goals and 50-60 points per year on any team he played for. Plus he was always the best face off man in the league. You know what to expect with him every year.

Sorry i got this thread off track, i know it's suppose to be about Vinnie, i was making the point it will take more then Ribiero zednick and Aebi to get Vinnie.

[GoHabs2002]

I agree it's a tough place to play from what i here, i live in Colorado so i i know nothing of the pressure, but your making my point, i'm not sure if i care if he has matured over the last few years, his production has went down.

I could play center for Kovalev and wind up with 10 points a year.

I think the comparison with Perrault doesn't make alot of sense, Perrault reliably put up 20-30 goals and 50-60 points per year on any team he played for. Plus he was always the best face off man in the league. You know what to expect with him every year.

Sorry i got this thread off track, i know it's suppose to be about Vinnie, i was making the point it will take more then Ribiero zednick and Aebi to get Vinnie.

Ribeiro is only 26 years old, I know he's been around for 8 years now, in and out of the line-up, but I wouldn't necessarily cut him loose yet.

And I agree it'll take more than those three, no one suggested Zednik, I think we're all in agreement for that. And including Ribs would only be so TB can have a replacement center for the second line, in no way would Ribs be part of the foundation of the deal, only the icing on the cake type of thing.

I say the foundation of any deal for Lecavalier will be Perezhogin/Pleks, Abby, Souray, our 1st this year

if its pleks, no souray, if its perezhogin then its souray and maybe even the first rounder...any deal with TB will include Abby.

[smon]

I bet they'd be talking about a forward like Fredrik Modin in said deal, not Lecavalier.

[Habitforming]

I say the foundation of any deal for Lecavalier will be Perezhogin/Pleks, Abby, Souray, our 1st this year

if its pleks, no souray, if its perezhogin then its souray and maybe even the first rounder...any deal with TB will include Abby.

Man Am I glad you aren't the habs GM.

Lemme get this straight .... a top prospect almost ready to break out, an all-star nuber one goalie, a nuber two D-man also an all-star, and then throw in a first round pick.....for Lecavalier who has never posted a point per game average and will likely fold like oragami in the Montreal pressure cooker??!??!?!!!

Sure makes the Thornton deal look bad huh?

Tampa would jump all over this deal and the media would trump this as one of the worst trades in history for years to come.

[Fanpuck33]

I think the comparison with Perrault doesn't make alot of sense, Perrault reliably put up 20-30 goals and 50-60 points per year on any team he played for. Plus he was always the best face off man in the league. You know what to expect with him every year.

Ribs has done the same thing the last two years, 50-60 points while floating. I think Ribs has more value also, since he is younger and hasn't tapped into his full potential because he has been such a floater. I just think his leaguewide value is underestimated by a lot of habs fans. I think he could easily be a piece in a big deal like this.

[habschris]

Fan Puck, I'll just agree to disagree with you on that one. I don't see any upside to ribiero, i think 2 years ago was it for him. i could be wrong though.

[Fanpuck33]

Fan Puck, I'll just agree to disagree with you on that one. I don't see any upside to ribiero, i think 2 years ago was it for him. i could be wrong though.

I agree in that he won't do better in Montreal. I want him gone as much as the next Habs fan. I hust think he needs a major wake up call, that he obviously can't get while in Montreal. I think he's like Hainsey and could excel for another team. Maybe leaving the team he loves will finally show him that he needs to change his attitude and effort.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Not sure if this really changes things but Tampa Bay have signed free agent goaltender Johan Holmqvist to a one-year contract.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=167572&hubname=nhl

[GoHabs2002]

Man Am I glad you aren't the habs GM.

Lemme get this straight .... a top prospect almost ready to break out, an all-star nuber one goalie, a nuber two D-man also an all-star, and then throw in a first round pick.....for Lecavalier who has never posted a point per game average and will likely fold like oragami in the Montreal pressure cooker??!??!?!!!

Sure makes the Thornton deal look bad huh?

Tampa would jump all over this deal and the media would trump this as one of the worst trades in history for years to come.

Feaster is on the record saying he doesn't want to trade Lecavalier, Gainey is on the record saying he wants to resign Huet and Abby is on the record saying he wants to be a starter next season not a co-starter.

It all depends how much Gainey wants a guy like Lecavalier, who will bring much more to this Franchise than Souray, Abeisher or Perezhogin could.

If TB would agree, I'd give Souray, Abby and our 1st for Vinny and keep Perezhogin, but you'd have to think Feaster would want a young blood in return.

[kaos]

NO way Tampa makes a Lecavalier for Aebischer, Ribeiro and a 1st trade. Not even if you throw in Souray.

Aebischer, Ribeiro and the 1st pick might be a part of the package, but so would atleast one of the young prospects.

THat saves atleast $2-2.5 Million for Tampa and is fair compensation for a guy who could be a franchise center. Aebischer is a #1 goalie, but not a great goalie. Not top 10 in the league. Ribeiro is at best a 2nd line center. The first round pick could or could not ever make the NHL, and the young prospect might develop or might not.

Ask any GM and Lecavalier will be mentioned by most as a top 10 center in the league, most would probably say top 5, regardless of whether he has put the points up yet.

You cannot compare Boston's trade of Thornton with a potential deal of Lecavalier to Montreal. Boston was fleeced in that trade. Worst trade in NHL history, right up their with Esposito, Spezza & Chara and Courtnall-Kordic...lol.

Aebischer, Ribeiro, 1st ROund pick does not equal Lecavalier.

I wish it did, and I hope beyond hope that it happens, but it won't. I agree with whoever said that Montreal will probably end up with Modin, or maybe Prospal or Fedotanko...something like that

Edited June 1, 2006 by kaos

[Fanpuck33]

Yes, kaos, but keep in mind that Tampa still has a center who is better than Vinny and they have a HUGE need in nets. If they can pull in a true #1 goalie like Huet, a solid #2 center, and a younster/Souray, I think Tampa would have to seriously consider it. I think he made the Richards signing knowing that it would be crazy to spend half the cap on 3 players. There can't be a lot of #1 goalies available, so Montreal has a nice bargaining chip in Aebi.

[Mont Royale]

I agree with whoever said that Gainey always surprises us, so this deal won't happen. We'll be talking about this, and the next headline will be "Gainey talks Lemieux out of retirement", or something equally unexpected.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Courtnall-Kordic...lol.

[kaos]

Yes, kaos, but keep in mind that Tampa still has a center who is better than Vinny and they have a HUGE need in nets. If they can pull in a true #1 goalie like Huet, a solid #2 center, and a younster/Souray, I think Tampa would have to seriously consider it. I think he made the Richards signing knowing that it would be crazy to spend half the cap on 3 players. There can't be a lot of #1 goalies available, so Montreal has a nice bargaining chip in Aebi.

Yeah they do have a need in net, but it just looks like Tampa will continue with mediocrity in net. They will not deal Lecavalier or Richards, and nobody wants St. Louis, although I will say he rebounds next year puts up close to 80 points if he is healthy.

There are plenty of good goaltenders in the league and if Tampa is patient they'll be able to sign one of them eventually and not have to deal either of their franchise centers.

................"Gainey talks Lemieux out of retirement", or something equally unexpected.

I'd have to say that, that is more of a possibility that Lecavalier coming to Montreal

[ch_nl]

Mike Ribeiro is second line center.

There's 30 teams in the leauge.

Saku Koivu had 62 points and that makes him center number 32. The stats says that there's 31 centers in the leauge that scored more points than Saku Koivu.

Mike Ribeiro had 51 points. That makes him guy number 47, not 64. Bad for a second line center? No way.

I think some has to re-evaluate Mike Ribeiro. Remember the way he made it to the NHL. He was a promising young talent for many yeas. I had given up on him years before he became a regular.

His first season as a regular was the same year as Patrice Bergeron. And yet, Bergeron is 5 years younger than Ribs. Call Ribs a late bloomer if you wish. I think Ribeiro will grow and be better and better and I can't believe that Im the only one with that opinion?

Bottom line... Tampa has two great, I would even call them both franschise centers, but are weak in net. Richards may be the best of the two and Vincent Lecavalier even admited that he tough about leaving Tampa as a free agent for Montreal. He said it and I can't imagine that's something the Bolts management takes lightly.

The Habs could give them a reasoable good but small center in Mike Ribeiro. They could provide a Stanley Cup winning goaltender in David Aebischer and a streaky leftwinger in Richard Zednik that get's better in the playoffs.

None of the 3 are overpaid and all 3 have potential. Vincent Lecavalier could choke in Montreal and maybe the Habs are the team that takes this risk.

Forget about Tampa cut's Fredrik Modin as he's their go to guy on the powerplay and along with Vaclav Prospal the only real top six winger on the team.

Add a pick and Lightnings would save some money to spend on a UFA defencemen and the trade could work in their favour.

I have tried hard to be objective on this one and I think Im pretty close.

[Fanpuck33]

I agree that the chances of this happening are 1 in a million, but it would make sense if Tampa were to make the trade.

That being said, they have said many times they will keep the big three. I think it is silly of them, but it seems to be what they are committed to doing.

[kaos]

Well we mostly all agree that Lecavalier is coming to Montreal would be a good thing, and I think we all agree that its a long shot.

I guess we just differ on what it would take to get the deal done. Let hope it happens so one of us can brag who is right

I'd really like to see Kovalev and Lecavalier together. That could be something special.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

I'd really like to see Kovalev and Lecavalier together. That could be something special.

We'll call them the NUKE LINE

[KoZed]

There will be rumors of Lecavalier coming to Montreal until it happens or he retires. Its an inescapable constant.

[alexstream]

I'd think a trade for Lecavalier would be patterned on the deal Boston got for Thornton.

Markov, Zednik, Bonk for Lecavalier would pretty much be the same...

However... we can't afford to let Markov go, unless Redden is beggin us to sign him for under 4M

[smon]

Not sure if this really changes things but Tampa Bay have signed free agent goaltender Johan Holmqvist to a one-year contract.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=167572&hubname=nhl

That definitely does change things in my opinion. They probably feel they've found their answer for next season.

They're obviously hoping he is the next Lundqvist, he's coming off a stellar World Championships and apparently they sent their goaltending coaches to scout him. Holmqvist was highly touted when in the Wild organization, and I wouldn't be surprised if next year's Lightning goalies are him and Sean Burke.

[alexstream]

but us signing Loic Lacasse means that we are trading Aebi right?

lol, holmqvist is as much of a long shot as you can get.

Feaster certainly learned his lesson and will get a real goalie. (although he has 3 players locked for 20M)

@ ch_hl

Ribeiro sucks, leave the stats alone, watch him play... he is TERRIBLE. slow, soft, easily pushed, etc... even Begin is better.

RE: koivu don't just look at stats, he missed about 20 games, you cant compare his stats with guys who played 80 games.