Follow @james_tanner123 Prior to the start of last season, the Coyotes signed Mike Ribeiro to a four year $22 million dollar free-agent contract. Given that the Coyotes were looking at making the Playoffs and maybe going on a run, and given their poor-house reputation and historical lack making big splashes in the UFA market, this was a big deal.
Ribeior, however, disappointed, scoring just 47 points in 80 games while acting as the teams #1 centre and getting the majority of PP time on the top unit. He struggled most after Christmas and was twice made a healthy scratch.
Though his play wasn't great, no one saw it coming when the Coyotes chose to buy him out this past summer. The NHL's poorest team wanted so little to do with Ribeiro that they will pay him almost $2 million per year, for the next six years, not to play for them.
Coyotes GM sited "behavioral issues" as the reason for the buy-out. This prompted tons of speculation and rumours - but who cares? It's hockey and we should be above caring about people's personal lives. This isn't Entertainment Tonight.
I don't know what went down with Ribeiro and I don't care. Whatever it is, he seems to have straightened himself out because he is having a comeback season for the ages.
At 34, coming off a season where he scored just over a half-point per game, and being called out for "behavioral issues" it looked like Mike Ribeiro's career might be done.
However, he ended-up signing a one-year $1 million dollar deal with the Predators, who were desperate for an offensive centre to play with the recently acquired James Neal.
I don't think anyone could have seen it working out like it has.
The Predators sit two points behind the Ducks for first overall in the NHL.
Ribeiro has 53 points in 63 games, on pace for his best season in five years. He's 29th in NHL scoring, right around Toews, Thornton, Ladd and Zetterberg.
Long thought of as a PP specialist, he's 11th in scoring at even-strength and will soon move into the top ten due to Patrick Kane's injury.
Here's the real insane thing about Ribeiro's season: ES G A P P/60 CF% PDO Ribeiro 12 26 38 2.3 56.7 100.9 Crosby 12 22 34 2.3 55.8 100.5
OK: Crosby plays in all situations and Ribeiro starts mostly in offensive situations and he gets sheltered in ways Crosby does not, and Riebeiro does have a super high 18% Shooting Percentage to Crosby's average 10% ....So in NO WAY am I trying to say that Ribeiro is equal to Crosby.
However, he does compare favorably to the world's best player, makes $11 million less this season and is seven years older.
Crosby is obviously the superior player, don't get me wrong. But the Coyotes are almost the worst team in hockey - only a 5-0 record vs the Oilers prevents this - and the player they bought out is having an offensive season comparable to the best player in the NHL while helping his team compete for the President's Trophy.
Congrats to Mike Ribeiro, it's one of the best comeback stories in sports history. (That I know about).