Speculation: 2013 - 2014 Season Roster Part 8

[RR]

We were here:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1602891&page=41

Carry on...

Click to read more...

 

[Summer Rose]

Going to ninja the first response to this thread by posting a list of UFA's that I do NOT want us to pursue this summer. So far, all I've got so far:


Brian Gionta

 

[IPreferPi]

If we're restricting ourselves to UFAs from other teams, I'd go with:

Dany Heatley
Brooks Orpik

But including our own, any "do not want" list should be topped with the one and only...David Moss.

 

[Kaibur]

I'm pretty sure Zenon Kenopka owns a shipping business like in Long Island or something. I remember him signing with the Islanders for dirt cheap, primarily so that he could monitor business operations without being too far away. I read an article a while back about it and I remember thinking, "This guy knows that he's not going to be playing hockey forever and he's taking steps."

I'm not sure he's willing to leave the East coast as a result.

 

[rt]

Kenopka's skating ability makes Paul Bissonnette look like Pavel Bure.

 

[lanky]

I love that after years of debating how to get top six centres we finally can debate the fourth line instead.

 

[XX]

I love that after years of debating how to get top six centres we finally can debate the fourth line instead.

I would swap Ribeiro for Plekanec in a heartbeat. Wanna go there? Because there's ample reason to. A player like Ribeiro might be so antithetical to Tippett's system that he undermines the entire thing.

Or just the far more likely scenario is that the D has been ****** and unstable the past two seasons, despite there being two of the leagues best in the group. Time for change.

I am curious to see Maloney really put the screws to a roster. He really hasn't ever had to do that here. Each year he moves forward with a thoughtful iteration process. How good is he at major change? How adaptable can Tippett be?

 

[ck26]

Ribeiro won't waive to go to MTL. I have audio somewhere from a couple years ago of him basically ******** on the city / the fans / etc ... basically that playing there is fun when you're young and single but that he has zero desire to be married with kids there.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I heard at the rink that his wife and kids moved back to Dallas...so he's basically single in Scottsdale.

 

[CBJ goalie]

Some Coyotes news from Elliotte Friedman, good read:

20. The Phoenix Coyotes, too, have a good one in Brandon Gormley. He played 13 minutes his NHL debut at Tampa Bay on March 10, then he got a key shift late to help close a 3-1 victory over Florida. Against the Lightning, he saw Steven Stamkos come on the ice and thought, "Bet coach is going to take me off." But Dave Tippett left him out there.

21. Truth is, Gormley was probably ready for the NHL earlier than last week. But Phoenix, with an excess of blue-line contracts, had to keep him in the AHL. Gormley said it allowed him to wean some bad habits from his game: "Things you could get away with in junior ... letting guys go down the boards, stick position. Can't always hurt you there. But you can't do it here."

22. For a long time, the Coyotes' trade target was a centre. But with Martin Hanzal, Mike Ribeiro and Antoine Vermette all under contract for at least another year -- and Max Domi coming -- that may not be priority No. 1. They've had some weird games (for them), struggling to lock down the kinds of leads smothered for years. They've got a talented blue-line (and Gormley isn't the only one coming), but feel they're missing another Adrian Aucoin or Michal Rozsival-type defender.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/ho...ughts-changing-odds-in-nhl-draft-lottery.html

 

[rt]

A player like Ribeiro might be so antithetical to Tippett's system that he undermines the entire thing.

Maybe. Only if there is something off-ice, though. From what we've seen on the ice, he's not less of a DT player than Ray Whitney, for example. The difference is that Ray found a line he could fit in on. Ribeiro hasn't. He's looked like crap with Klikhammer and Moss being his most frequent linemates this season. That's really not a shocker. And I think it just amplifies how different he is. I suspect Ray Whitney would've have looked similarly out of place and had similar negative blowback from fans if he had been playing with Daymond Langkow and Taylor Pyatt in 11-12 and Fiddler and Winnik in 10-11.

 

[PhoPhan]

Maybe. Only if there is something off-ice, though. From what we've seen on the ice, he's not less of a DT player than Ray Whitney, for example. The difference is that Ray found a line he could fit in on. Ribeiro hasn't. He's looked like crap with Klikhammer and Moss being his most frequent linemates this season. That's really not a shocker. And I think it just amplifies how different he is. I suspect Ray Whitney would've have looked similarly out of place and had similar negative blowback from fans if he had been playing with Daymond Langkow and Taylor Pyatt in 11-12 and Fiddler and Winnik in 10-11.

Bull's eye. Whitney has shown that a high skill player can flourish in this system, and Ribeiro himself had some of his best years under Tippett in Dallas. I definitely question his even strength usage, but he's been a revelation on the powerplay. Obviously Newell Brown gets a lot of credit, too, but the powerplay has to be the biggest area of improvement this year, and Ribeiro deserves a lot of the praise for that.

 

[Mosby]

In a recent interview, Ribeiro mentioned that he's been frustrated with the constant shuffling of his wingers. He needs a few games to gel. Now that he's had a good string of games with Doan and McMillan, he's looked a little better I think. Leave those 3 together and the results will only improve. Don't break them up unless the line goes cold.

It's worth mentioning that despite playing with average-at-best wingers most of the year, Ribeirio is still top 3 in team scoring, top 2 among forwards, and our top scoring centre. Put him with a winger on his own level next year and watch him really shine. RT's line of "Ferrari with tractor tires" is the perfect analogy.

Ribeiro was brought in primarily to score points, and I think he's met expectations. Hasn't exceeded them, but hasn't missed them either.

 

[kihekah19*]

Maybe. Only if there is something off-ice, though. From what we've seen on the ice, he's not less of a DT player than Ray Whitney, for example. The difference is that Ray found a line he could fit in on. Ribeiro hasn't. He's looked like crap with Klikhammer and Moss being his most frequent linemates this season. That's really not a shocker. And I think it just amplifies how different he is. I suspect Ray Whitney would've have looked similarly out of place and had similar negative blowback from fans if he had been playing with Daymond Langkow and Taylor Pyatt in 11-12 and Fiddler and Winnik in 10-11.

Absolutely. And I see nothing off ice that would be an issue, he puts great emphasis on his family not unlike say; Shane Doan.

 

[kihekah19*]

In a recent interview, Ribeiro mentioned that he's been frustrated with the constant shuffling of his wingers. He needs a few games to gel. Now that he's had a good string of games with Doan and McMillan, he's looked a little better I think. Leave those 3 together and the results will only improve. Don't break them up unless the line goes cold.

It's worth mentioning that despite playing with average-at-best wingers most of the year, Ribeirio is still top 3 in team scoring, top 2 among forwards, and our top scoring centre. Put him with a winger on his own level next year and watch him really shine. RT's line of "Ferrari with tractor tires" is the perfect analogy.

Ribeiro was brought in primarily to score points, and I think he's met expectations. Hasn't exceeded them, but hasn't missed them either.

All good points and let's not forget that he did not have the ability to skate with Doan, when the later was out of the lineup.

 

[kihekah19*]

I am curious to see Maloney really put the screws to a roster. He really hasn't ever had to do that here. Each year he moves forward with a thoughtful iteration process. How good is he at major change? How adaptable can Tippett be?

I believe calling for major change is nothing more than alarmist overreaction.

 

[IPreferPi]

I would swap Ribeiro for Plekanec in a heartbeat. Wanna go there? Because there's ample reason to. A player like Ribeiro might be so antithetical to Tippett's system that he undermines the entire thing.

Nonsense - if Ribeiro was so antithetical to Tippett's way, Tippett himself would not have lobbied Maloney to acquire him over since Day 1 of being coach in Phoenix, as reported.

Ribs has had his ups and downs to his first season as a Yote, sure, but a lot of that has to do with being partnered with guys who couldn't find the back of the net if their lives depended on it. He's been very good with Doan when he's been partnered with him, and now it seems he's gelling a bit with McMillan. And it's absolutely fun to see him move the puck on the PP with OEL and Yandle - those 3 + Newell Brown are the reason our PP has rebounded into the Top 5-10 this year.

Overall, his performance this year is just about what I expected, given our crop of forwards.

 

[Grimes]

Sarah McLellan ‏@azc_mclellan 5m
Also, Klinkhammer/Chipchura with Ribeiro and Moss. Vermette line the same. So are the D pairings.

 

[XX]

Nonsense - if Ribeiro was so antithetical to Tippett's way, Tippett himself would not have lobbied Maloney to acquire him over since Day 1 of being coach in Phoenix, as reported.

Players and attitudes change. It's not so much about Ribs being a cancer as it is his perceived lack of effort (and getting away with it) setting the tone for others. He's incredibly skilled and has produced while playing with total garbage on most nights. Notice that I hedged what I said by saying he's probably not the cause of any of the problems. He certainly doesn't add toughness or drive to the team, and his mouth doesn't help the discipline.

He's not the problem, but he has perhaps aggravated the underlying main problem with this team, which is how soft and noncompetitive it is on an alarming number of nights.

 

[rt]

Maloney needs to protect Tippett from himself.

 

[Mosby]

Sarah McLellan ‏@azc_mclellan 5m
Also, Klinkhammer/Chipchura with Ribeiro and Moss. Vermette line the same. So are the D pairings.

Yuck. Hopefully that doesn't stick. Sounds like the lines are:

Erat - Hanzal - Vrbata
Korpi - Vermette - Boedker
McMillan - Halpern - Doan
Klink/Chip - Ribeiro - Moss

I think if you switch Halpern and Rib, that's a good as we can do.

 

[cobra427]

Bull's eye. Whitney has shown that a high skill player can flourish in this system, and Ribeiro himself had some of his best years under Tippett in Dallas. I definitely question his even strength usage, but he's been a revelation on the powerplay. Obviously Newell Brown gets a lot of credit, too, but the powerplay has to be the biggest area of improvement this year, and Ribeiro deserves a lot of the praise for that.

Ribs has been good considering his musical chair/not talented line mates. He would have to be Houdini to make Moss/Klink look better. The PP is good now mostly because of the addition of Ribs. Yandle leads the NHL among D men for points on the PP, pretty impressive.

 

[PhoPhan]

In a recent interview, Ribeiro mentioned that he's been frustrated with the constant shuffling of his wingers. He needs a few games to gel. Now that he's had a good string of games with Doan and McMillan, he's looked a little better I think. Leave those 3 together and the results will only improve. Don't break them up unless the line goes cold.

This is a good point that seems to have been overlooked. Ribeiro's linemates haven't been great, but they've also been shuffled pretty regularly. Passing whizzes like Ribeiro often need time to build a little chemistry with people. I remember the first few games of this year when the whole team seemed shocked by his passing skills. Also recall the team taking a few weeks or maybe even months to get the hang of a puckhandling goalie like Smith. Same deal.

 

[IPreferPi]

Sarah McLellan ‏@azc_mclellan 5m
Also, Klinkhammer/Chipchura with Ribeiro and Moss. Vermette line the same.

Why?!?

 

[rt]

So an interesting proposal from an Oilers fan:

Gordon(50% retained) and the Third Overall Pick for Hanzal and our 2nd round pick.

I'd consider it if A) We already had Vrbata re-signed and B) Tippett thought he had a good shot at luring Steve Ott here in the off-season.

It's give us Erat, Vrbata, Doan, Boedker, Domi, and Korpikoski as top six wings and Ribeiro, Vermette, Ott, and Gordon for center depth. Not bad. Plus a shot at a what might be a franchise forward in Reinhart, Bennett, Draisaitl, or Dal Colle. Plus we get to keep our own pick at 13ish-15ish.