Downey and lack of fighting!

AB Habman · Guru

Downey and lack of fighting!

Caper_hab_fan · Veteran Member

I would have to say Scott Thornton, he was one of my favorite habs at one point and time, and he dropped the gloves with anyone...i remember he kicked the s#!t out of Domi once and now he's a big part of the sharks.

mac_attack · Member

yeah i was thinking about that too... he hasnt done much at all.. he is useless.. if it was to bring size. y not just dress ivannis . hes huge.. IMOO gainey made adumb A$$ move here..... any ways Downey scrapps this saturday with Garrnet Exelby. and to the question about being the fighter on the team.. i would have to say its been souray and rivet. when they shouldnt be fighting

-- Edited by mac_attack at 00:08, 2006-02-09

-- Edited by mac_attack at 00:11, 2006-02-09

AB Habman · Guru

Caper_hab_fan wrote:

I would have to say Scott Thornton, he was one of my favorite habs at one point and time, and he dropped the gloves with anyone...i remember he kicked the s#!t out of Domi once and now he's a big part of the sharks.

Actually you're right, I forgot about thornton, Kind of like a Momesso! He wasn't afraid to drop them!

AB Habman · Guru

mac_attack wrote:

yeah i was thinking about that too... he hasnt done much at all.. he is useless.. if it was to bring size. y not just dress ivannis . hes huge.. IMOO gainey made adumb A$$ move here..... any ways Downey scrapps this saturday with Garrnet Exelby. and to the question about being the fighter on the team.. i would have to say its been souray and rivet. when they shouldnt be fighting-- Edited by mac_attack at 00:08, 2006-02-09 -- Edited by mac_attack at 00:11, 2006-02-09

Mac, I agree, if Downey doesn't drop them, we are better off with Ivanans. He at least faught already ( cheap shot by Chara with Ref holding Ivanans ). I do like his big intimating frame out there as opposed to Downey!

superhab · Guru

although i do enjoy watching the fights i see no problem with the way Downey has been playing. He has been playing aggresive and he has been hitting everything that moves. He really seems to intemidate the other teams when he's on there. Plus its hard to start the fight this day and age without getting the instigater, at least he's not a hot head fighter who's going to scrap everytime he gets hit, and gets the instigater 9 out of 10 times.

Desi · Senior Member

Downey intimidates -- you can see it in the way the opposition team's players go into the corner with him. He doesn't need to fight to do his job for the team. He's there if we need him, and in the meantime, I'vve been impressed with both his skating and stick-handling. He's a lot more than a goon, and I think BG is correct to use him the way he is. Ivanans, on the other hand, is built from the basic goon mold. Two fists attached to a slow-moving body. The team doesn't need that I don't think. Nor does it appear that the team needs fisticuffs to get psyched to play for 60 minutes any more. If that changes, Downeys' around. For now, we have enough players in the box without looking to throw more in there, don't we?

Les Canadiens sont la

barry33 · Guru

Desi wrote:

Downey intimidates -- you can see it in the way the opposition team's players go into the corner with him. He doesn't need to fight to do his job for the team. He's there if we need him, and in the meantime, I'vve been impressed with both his skating and stick-handling. He's a lot more than a goon, and I think BG is correct to use him the way he is. Ivanans, on the other hand, is built from the basic goon mold. Two fists attached to a slow-moving body. The team doesn't need that I don't think. Nor does it appear that the team needs fisticuffs to get psyched to play for 60 minutes any more. If that changes, Downeys' around. For now, we have enough players in the box without looking to throw more in there, don't we? Les Canadiens sont la

He tried to get at Peters the other night and the Refs intervened. If you will recall, many gave Souray and Rivet hard times earlier this year for fighting and costing the habs a penalty. I am sure that Gainey has told Downey to pick and choose his places and to not do anything dumb. I really have not seen a situation yet this year that would warrant Downey dropping them but am sure his time will come.

ray · Senior Member

Great points superhab and Desi, this guy has added the fear into other players that was missing. he hits everything in sight and works hard. I'm sure Gainey has talked to him and they're both on the same page. Don't worry guys this guy will drop the gloves when needed , but won't hurt the team first. The instigator rule has to go!

Trapper John · Member

superhab wrote:

although i do enjoy watching the fights i see no problem with the way Downey has been playing. He has been playing aggresive and he has been hitting everything that moves. He really seems to intemidate the other teams when he's on there. Plus its hard to start the fight this day and age without getting the instigater, at least he's not a hot head fighter who's going to scrap everytime he gets hit, and gets the instigater 9 out of 10 times.

I line up with SuperHab and Desi. Hockey is a mental game, and sometimes the threat of a heavy hit or a fight is enough to mess with the other guy's head. I have been generally pleased with what Downey brings to the game. He's doesn't need to goon it up (see Brashear, Donald) and make a joke out of himself. I will agree, however, that it would be nice to see him run a player or two who takes a cheap one on one of our guys. Bouillon, Rivet, and Begin have demonstrated that they are willing to do that.

As for Sheldon, I want to see him use his hands to regain his point production - but he still can (and should) lay the body on more often.

Cleghorn · Veteran Member

Only two questions need to be answered - 1 are the rest of the Habs playing bigger with Downey and Ivanans in the line-up and 2 do guys like Brashear and Hal Gill play smaller - I would say yes to both.

Cripes when they have both of those guys dressed along with Rivet and Souray - I'd say the Habs are as tough as any team in the League.

Last guy on Habs who'd fight for a teammate every time - easy one - Stephane Quintal - and Therrien benched him for it which was the day I wanted his a$$ run out of town.

plouf · Guru

Cleghorn wrote:

Only two questions need to be answered - 1 are the rest of the Habs playing bigger with Downey and Ivanans in the line-up and 2 do guys like Brashear and Hal Gill play smaller - I would say yes to both. Cripes when they have both of those guys dressed along with Rivet and Souray - I'd say the Habs are as tough as any team in the League. Last guy on Habs who'd fight for a teammate every time - easy one - Stephane Quintal - and Therrien benched him for it which was the day I wanted his a$$ run out of town.

Quintal was an underrated fighter. Maybe the best we've had in the last decade, seriously. But he was needed for other stuff so he didn't drop them too often. I also miss Thornton. We could really use a guy like that.

24 Rings · Guru

Cleghorn wrote:

Only two questions need to be answered - 1 are the rest of the Habs playing bigger with Downey and Ivanans in the line-up and 2 do guys like Brashear and Hal Gill play smaller - I would say yes to both. Cripes when they have both of those guys dressed along with Rivet and Souray - I'd say the Habs are as tough as any team in the League. Last guy on Habs who'd fight for a teammate every time - easy one - Stephane Quintal - and Therrien benched him for it which was the day I wanted his a$$ run out of town.

Seriously? Downey and Ivanans can throw 'em, but Souray and Rivet are middleweights at best. As far as team toughness, the Habs aren't tough at all. Scrappy at times, yes, but not tough at all.

Gravelbourger · Member

I honestly like the way Downey has played. He plays rugged but still gets involved in the play. He's there to fight if need be but he has made our team play bigger. It's no coincidence that Riberio and Bonk have played some of their best hockey in the last 4 games. One player that could go away and NO one would notice is Sundstrom. I really hope we drop him and install some youth and energy and sand paper with another Downey type player...perhaps Murray or someone else from the minors.