westbeach55
09-30-2006, 06:31 PM
TSN.ca Staff
9/30/2006 6:57:11 PM
MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have acquired defenceman Janne Niinimaa and a fifth-round pick in 2007 from the Dallas Stars, in return for forward Mike Ribeiro and a sixth-round pick in 2008.
Ribeiro said he was shocked by the move.
''I'm disappointed and sad at the same time,'' the Montreal native said. ''I didn't expect this now.
''There were rumours last year that I'd be traded, but I didn't think about it this year. I just concentrated on getting ready for the season. I guess Montreal wanted defence and Dallas wanted a centre. It's a great city for me. No winter. No snow. So I'll be happy.''
Ribeiro, 26, is coming off a disappointing 2005-2006 season, during which he scored 51 points and posted a minus-6 rating, down from the 65 points and plus-15 rating he had produced in 2003-2004.
The 6-foot, 177-pound centre was a second-round pick of the Canadiens in 1998 and has scored 153 points in 276 career games.
''Dallas has great players, a great team, and they'll be playing for the Stanley Cup,'' said Ribeiro. ''I always dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup here (in Montreal), the 25th, but I guess it won't happen.''
Niinimaa, 31, struggled last season, putting up 16 points and a minus-12 rating combined with the New York Islanders and Dallas Stars. Acquired in January for John Erskine, Niinimaa ended up being a healthy scratch at times late in the year.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Finnish blueliner has recorded 356 points and a plus-56 rating over a 10-year career with Philadelphia, Edmonton, the New York Islanders and Dallas.
9/30/2006 6:57:11 PM
MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have acquired defenceman Janne Niinimaa and a fifth-round pick in 2007 from the Dallas Stars, in return for forward Mike Ribeiro and a sixth-round pick in 2008.
Ribeiro said he was shocked by the move.
''I'm disappointed and sad at the same time,'' the Montreal native said. ''I didn't expect this now.
''There were rumours last year that I'd be traded, but I didn't think about it this year. I just concentrated on getting ready for the season. I guess Montreal wanted defence and Dallas wanted a centre. It's a great city for me. No winter. No snow. So I'll be happy.''
Ribeiro, 26, is coming off a disappointing 2005-2006 season, during which he scored 51 points and posted a minus-6 rating, down from the 65 points and plus-15 rating he had produced in 2003-2004.
The 6-foot, 177-pound centre was a second-round pick of the Canadiens in 1998 and has scored 153 points in 276 career games.
''Dallas has great players, a great team, and they'll be playing for the Stanley Cup,'' said Ribeiro. ''I always dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup here (in Montreal), the 25th, but I guess it won't happen.''
Niinimaa, 31, struggled last season, putting up 16 points and a minus-12 rating combined with the New York Islanders and Dallas Stars. Acquired in January for John Erskine, Niinimaa ended up being a healthy scratch at times late in the year.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Finnish blueliner has recorded 356 points and a plus-56 rating over a 10-year career with Philadelphia, Edmonton, the New York Islanders and Dallas.