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NASHVILLE -- Nashville desperately needs better offensive players for new coach Peter Laviolette, and the Predators believe they took a very small gamble with the chance for a big reward by signing veteran forwards Mike Ribeiro and Derek Roy to one-year contracts. General manager David Poile called signing Ribeiro a great opportunity to add a talented, experienced and creative centre Tuesday when he introduced the veteran at a news conference. Ribeiros contract is worth $1.05 million after being bought out of the final three years of a $22 million contract by the Coyotes recently. "He knows hes living day to day," Poile said of Ribeiro. "Hes on a one-year contract." Ribeiro has 202 goals and 454 assists in 865 career regular-season games but had only 16 goals and 31 assists in 80 games for the Coyotes last season after his new deal. Arizona general manager Don Maloney said Ribeiro had "real behavioural issues" they could not tolerate, and that kept Ribeiro available until he and his agent called Poile last week. Ribeiro and his wife even paid for their own airfare, flying to Nashville to spend the past four days in town. The 34-year-old centre said Tuesday that he was separated from his wife during the season and rarely saw his children. Once the season ended, he said he went to work on his personal life and now has his head clear. He and his wife are looking at buying a house in Nashville. "Im really glad I have a chance to come here and to prove to everyone that I can still play, and that I am a good person and that Im committed to my family but to the team too and to do well," Ribeiro said. "And Im glad that I have a chance to do that." Poile said the Predators did their "due diligence" by talking to former teammates, coaches, managers and others. The general manager also talked to Ribeiros wife during their visit to Nashville. That made the Predators comfortable with signing Ribeiro. Roys deal is worth $1 million. He had nine goals and 28 assists in 75 games for the St. Louis Blues last season. He has 177 goals and 315 assists in 666 career regular-season games, but he said in a conference call Tuesday afternoon that he has spent this summer working in Toronto after dealing with knee and shoulder injuries. He hopes to regain the form that saw him score more than 63 points in four straight seasons in Buffalo. "Its been a tough few years bouncing around, and hopefully this is going to be good for me and I know that," said Roy, who has been with Dallas, Vancouver and St. Louis over the past two seasons. Its been a busy off-season for Nashville after missing the playoffs for a second straight year. The Predators not only replaced Barry Trotz with Laviolette, they also swapped a couple players to Pittsburgh for James Neal and signed Olli Jokinen. Roy will help replace centre Mike Fisher, who is out up to six months after rupturing his Achilles tendon this summer. Poile said the Predators could have up to six new forwards once the season starts, which should help a team led in scoring by defenceman and captain Shea Weber last season. "These are significant additions to change the way our team has played," Poile said. Notes: The Predators have signed Viktor Arvidsson, their fourth-round draft selection in June, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Arvidsson, 21, took part in the teams development camp last week, and he ranked ninth with 40 points in the Swedish Hockey League in the 2013-14 season. Cheap Miami Heat Jerseys . Mladenovics quick hands at the net made the difference while Bencics inexperience in doubles showed. 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Rodney McGruder Jersey . - Vince Wilfork has played only two career games in Kansas City.MIAMI - When Hassan Whiteside came to the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade was under the impression that the centre was a rookie.His NBA debut was actually in 2010.His coming-out party, however, seems to be happening now — and for the struggling Heat, it might be the perfect time.Chris Bosh scored 26 points, Wade scored 10 of his 25 down the stretch and the Heat snapped a four-game losing streak by topping the Brooklyn Nets 88-84 on Sunday night.A must-win, said Bosh, whose team lost by 36 in Houston on Saturday. It didnt matter who we played.Whiteside scored 11 points, tied a career high with 10 rebounds and set career bests with five blocked shots and 27 minutes. He came up big midway through the fourth, blocking away Deron Williams shot after the Nets guard backed Miamis Norris Cole down in the post with ease.Williams shot never had a chance. Whiteside sent it out of bounds, and the Heat needed those plays — improving to 7-12 at home.It might not look like Im there, Whiteside said. But Im there.Joe Johnson scored 19, Brook Lopez added 16 and Mirza Teletovic had 14 for Brooklyn, which had won six of seven and was seeking to get back over .500 for the first time since Nov. 12.The Heat never trailed — and, because nothing comes easily to them anymore, still had to sweat out the ending. A nine-point Heat lead with 4:49 left was whittled to three, and the Nets actually had a chance to tie with just over a minute remaining but Teletovics 3-pointer rattled out.We couldnt stop Bosh. We couldnt stop Wade, Nets coach Lionel Hollins said. That was the reason we couldnt get any closer.Williams scored 13 and Mason Plumlee scored 12 for the Nets, who are 0-3 against Miami this season.I thought we fought hard, Johnson said. We had our opportunities, maybe missed a lot of chippies, open shhots that we normally make.ddddddddddddiami led 49-40 at the half, and still was up by five after the third. The third quarter has been an issue all season and it was again Sunday, with Miami getting outscored 19-15 in those 12 minutes.But the Heat held the lead, despite not getting to the 20-point mark in that quarter for the third straight game. And in the fourth, Miami had just enough.Its hard to win in this league, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. It really is. ... Even in a game like this, when we had to fight it all the way to the end, you dont take winning for granted when youre having a season like we (are) right now.TIP-INSNets: Brooklyn fell to 1-13 when scoring less than 94 points. The Nets are 15-4 when scoring at least 94. ... Kevin Garnett played against the Heat for the 64th time, tying Ben Wallace for seventh-most by any Miami opponent. ... The Nets went scoreless in the first 3 minutes for the first time this season.Heat: Miamis crowd was 20,181, a season-high at home. ... Wades career-best streak of 31 consecutive free throws made ended. His previous long streak from the line was 27, in February 2012. ... Miami isnt back home until Jan. 20 against Oklahoma City. ... Chris Andersen was diagnosed with a sprained right thumb in the first half. He returned to the game, with tape around the thumb.MORE WHITESIDEWhiteside became the third player with 10 rebounds and five blocked shots off the bench this season, joining Utahs Rudy Gobert (against Miami) and Denvers Jusef Nurkic (against Memphis).NETS BENCHBrooklyn stayed with its lineup that has Williams and Lopez coming off the bench, and the Nets reserves outscored Miamis 43-21. But the Heat starters outscored Brooklyns 67-41.UP NEXTNets: host Dallas on Monday.Heat: at Portland on Thursday. ' ' '