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Biography
Michael Tavares Ribeiro (born February 10, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round, 45th overall, of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Ribeiro has also played in the NHL for the Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals and the Phoenix Coyotes.
Playing career
Professional
Ribeiro was drafted 45th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. On September 30, 2006, the Canadiens traded Ribeiro and a sixth-round draft pick in 2008 to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Janne Niinimaa and a fifth-round draft pick in 2007.
In the 2006–07 season, Ribeiro led Dallas in points, with 59. On July 12, the Stars signed Ribeiro to a one-year, $2.8 million contract extension for the 2007–08 season.
On January 7, 2008, Ribeiro and the Stars agreed to a new five-year, $25 million contract extension. Ribeiro went on to establish career highs in goals (27), assists (56) and points (83) that season and earned his first NHL All-Star Game appearance.
Although often critiqued for his lack of toughness, the 2008–09 season also saw Ribeiro breakout in the shootout, particularly with highlight reel performances in games against the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche.
On June 22, 2012, during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and in the final year of his contract, Ribeiro was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Cody Eakin and a 2012 second-round draft pick (54th overall). Alongside the likes of Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Bäckström on the Washington roster, Ribeiro scored prolifically with the Capitals, averaging over a point-per-game with 49 in 48 games.
On July 2, 2013, seeking a long-term deal, the Capitals opted to allow Ribeiro to become an unrestricted free agent. On July 5, the Phoenix Coyotes then signed the free agent Ribeiro to a four-year, $22 million contract with a limited no-movement clause, re-uniting him with his former head coach whilst with the Stars, Dave Tippett. In his first season with the Coyotes in 2013–14, however, Ribeiro failed to reproduce his scoring pace of the previous year, scoring 16 goals and 47 points in 80 games.
On June 27, 2014, Ribeiro was bought-out by the Coyotes after only the first year of his four-year contract due to behavioural issues related to alcohol use. Weeks later, on July 15, Ribeiro signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Nashville Predators.
On July 1, 2015, after a 2014–15 season in which he scored 15 goals and 47 assists for 62 points to finish second on the Predators in scoring, Ribeiro signed a two-year, $7 million contract extension with Nashville, thereby avoiding free agency.
Personal life
Mike has three children (Mikael, Noah and Viktoria) with his wife Tamara. He is of Portuguese descent.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | QMJHL | 67 | 40 | 85 | 125 | 55 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | QMJHL | 69 | 67 | 100 | 167 | 137 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 12 | ||
| 1998–99 | Fredericton Canadiens | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1999–00 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | QMJHL | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Quebec Remparts | QMJHL | 21 | 17 | 28 | 45 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 38 | ||
| 1999–00 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 74 | 26 | 40 | 66 | 44 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 23 | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Quebec Citadelles | AHL | 23 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 43 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 52 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 20 | 45 | 65 | 34 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 | ||
| 2004–05 | Espoo Blues | SM-l | 17 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 79 | 16 | 35 | 51 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 81 | 18 | 41 | 59 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 76 | 27 | 56 | 83 | 46 | 18 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 16 | ||
| 2008–09 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 82 | 22 | 56 | 78 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 66 | 19 | 34 | 53 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 82 | 19 | 52 | 71 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 74 | 18 | 45 | 63 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 48 | 13 | 36 | 49 | 53 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 80 | 16 | 31 | 47 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 82 | 15 | 47 | 62 | 52 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 81 | 7 | 43 | 50 | 62 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 16 | ||
| NHL totals | 1028 | 224 | 544 | 768 | 563 | 67 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 68 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Canada | WJC |  | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Awards
- 1997–98 QMJHL All-Rookie Team
- 1997–98 QMJHL Second All-Star Team
- 1997–98 QMJHL Michel Bergeron Trophy
- 1998–99 QMJHL First All-Star Team
- 1998–99 QMJHL Jean Beliveau Trophy
- 1998–99 CHL First All-Star Team
- 1998–99 CHL Leading Scorer
- 2001–02 NHL YoungStars Game
- 2007–08 NHL All-Star
