Aaron Downey?

[skacore 2]

There is a world of difference between Downey and Laraque, and that's just in the SKILL department. You'll notice the Pens didn't go out and get Downey.

We haven't gone out and gotten Downey either, we are giving him an opportunity in training camp and preseason. Since a lot of people are bringing up stats: Dallas Drake came here with 12 points in 60 games last year, Kirk Maltby 11 in 82, Tomas Kopecky 1 in 26. Why don't they score more points? Because they aren't supposed to. I don't think anyone expects Aaron Downey to earn a top 12 spot on the roster, right now he is trying out for the 13th spot it seems, where he can be subbed in and out depending on situations. Josh Langfeld played 33 games last year and racked up 2 points, Aaron Downey can't do better than that as the 13th forward? Atleast with Downey you know you are going to have a physical presence on the ice, a legit LIGHT heavyweight enforcer, and the occasion chip in goal.

Downey had less than 10 minutes of ice last night and he managed 2 shots, 1 GOAL, and he drew a 5 minute major penalty (without retaliating) which lead to 2 more goals by Chelios and Datsyuk and put us up 3-0. Plus we had an enforcer on the bench if a situation occurred, you never know in preseason. The guy is on a TRYOUT, so let's give him a TRY before we right him off, this is HOCKEY not MATH, let the men show themselves on the ice before we punch in any calculations.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I was just reading the SportingNews Hockey season analysis magazine, I really enjoyed it.

They listed off every teams enforcer. I'll make the list

Atlanta: Eric Boulton

Anaheim: George Parros

Boston: Shawn Thornton

Buffalo: Andrew Peters

Carolina: Mike Commodore/Scott Walker

Calgary: Wayne Primeau/Robyn Regher

Chicago: Martin Lapointe/David Koci

Colorado: Scott Parker/Ian Lapeirrie

Columbus: Jody Shelley

Dallas: Steve Ott/Todd Fedoruk/Brad Winchester/Krys Barch

Detroit: Tomas Holmstrom

Florida: Steve Montador

Edmonton: Ethan Moreau/Zach Stortini

LA: Raitis Ivanans

Montreal: Mike Komasarek

Minnesota: Derek Boogard

NJ: Cam Janssen

NYI: Brendan Witt

NYR: Colton Orr

Nashville: Jordin Tootoo

Ottawa: Brian Mcgratton/Chris Neil

Philly: Ben Eager/Jesse Boulerice

Pittsburgh: Georges Laraque

Phoenix: Josh Gratton

San Jose: Ryane Clowe

St Louis: DJ King/Jamal Mayers

Tampa: Andre Roy

Toronto: Wade Belak/Darcy Tucker

Vancouver: Jeff Cowan/Brad Isbister

Washington: Donald Brashear

So there goes the excuse "Enforcers arent needed" EVERYONE HAS ONE.

And too be clear, I love Homer, but he's no enforcer. This is why a guy like Downey is usefull, it makes guys like Homer try to forget about the rough stuff and focus on scoring goals.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Detroit # 1 Fan

[ProfessorLidstrom5 0]

Having Downey in the lineup is like having a supervisor. Say you work for a company and have a supervisor that is real overbearing. You work hard just to please this person. Would you work just as hard if he/she was to not be there one day??

Downey plays the supervisor role to make sure no one on the opposing team is "goofing off" by "enforcing" conduct.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Downey ... is an enforcer his not being brought to be the next holmstrom or shanahan ... his only here to protect the starz from people like himself...

If i think he will make the team ... yes he probably has a shot considering we have no enforcer @ all and also a way to train younger enforcers... and also to protect our stars...

If i think he will be a regular starter ... i highly doubt it ... he will probably be switching up with drake considering drake is old and might need a couple of nights off ...

Downey will be more effective in the playoffs ... we need him to get under the skin of other players ...

Drake, Maltby, and downey lol wow ... alot of penalties for the other team ...

Let's not forget ... cleary was a camp tryout also ... and he had a career year last year... You never know what can happen, different team , different styles different coaches can make a player improve or get worst ... anyways will see what happens

What i want to happen ... ? Trade sammy sign sopel and downey and make them regulars ... then we have ourself a hard big dangerous grittier team

Knowing holland ... sopel will stay bye bye downey

[Mickeyisms Rule! 0]

I really don't think that Holland has the final say in this one, as stated by my esteemed colleague, KrazyGangsta from Montreal. This is going to be a coach's decision. I think Babs likes Downey enough to bring him aboard. I don't think that much will change it.

Unfortunately for my esteemed colleague from Montreal, I do not believe that trading Sammy is in the works, nor do I believe that there is even a chance of it happening. You don't trade a 20+ goal guy away for someone on a tryout, or even 2 people on tryouts.

I like Downey because I want Jordin Tootoo to get his ass kicked. I like Downey because he works hard when he is on the ice.

Maybe I can get a new sig sometime with something like "Downey Freshness" on it. btw I have just copyrighted "Downey Freshness."

[sticknmove 0]

I will tell you exactly why people are excited, because now if one of our many "finesse" guys gets blown the f*ck up like they did on SOOOOOOOOO many occasions last year we have someone to step in and give the culprit more then a one palm facewash over the refs shoulder. And stop harping on the fact we went to the western conf. finals last year and nothing would have been changed if we had an enforcer, i agree with you to an extent, and no one is taking that away from the boys in red sweaters. However is it that mind boggling that maybe we try to toss in a little bit of an element we lacked last year? What blows my mind is that some around here are to crying over the fact we have a legitimate tough guy on the verge of making the team b/c enforcers are "worthless" and "we made the WCF without an enforcer". I think both myself and the majority of the people here supporting the idea of an enforcer on our team (why in heck this is even a discussion surrounding a HOCKEY team in the NHL is beyond me) acknowlege the fact we did it last year without a policeman, the real disagreement between the 2 factions on these boards is one wants a guy on our team rdy to go each night (even though he wont be dressing night in and out) and protect his teamates at all costs when they are run at in a gross or neglegent manner (ie Homer, Franzen, Lebda, Cleary, etc) and the other faction wants none of that "worthless enforcer crap" they want guys like Meech, up instead. Like it or not, Detroit doesnt look like they are going to be the physically/enforcement challenged team they were for the last 2 years and for those of us who realize fighting and enforcement are as deeply woven in the game of North American Ice Hockey as the icing rule is, well i guess, things are looking good.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Mickeyisms Rule! I know that sammy would never be replaced by downey in the goal department ... but i rather have downey playing over sammy on a regular basis ... i never like sammy i would rather see hudler getting sammy's role ... and letting a energic guy like downey hit the ice over sammy playing

[OsGOD 3]

Personally I would love to have some guys who get 5 mins every 10 mins or so a game for fighting (obviously they will get ejected eventually) but still i miss the old time hockey days when you would go to a fight and a hockey game broke out. This finesse game while nice can be a total snore fest.

I say bring on people who will get there asses kicked and kick some asses.... none of this pushing and threatening to fight... people to drop the gloves regardless of win or loss, I want someone to litter the ice with their equipement more than just once after a cup win.

Hers to old time hockey, when men played a kids game

[vangvace 12]

I like Downey to play for the Wings that way I can get a jersey with my last name on it and not feel like a smuck.

Also Downey or similar might make Maltby an agitator again since somebody will be there to bail him out of trouble... wait... that would mean Maltby stays longer... nevermind

[Izzy24 44]

I like fights just like everyone else, but the reason I would like to see him on the Wings is the energy he'll bring to every shift. If he gets into a fight, that's just a bonus.

I like Downey to play for the Wings that way I can get a jersey with my last name on it and not feel like a smuck.

That's the best reason yet!

[OsGOD 3]

I like Downey to play for the Wings that way I can get a jersey with my last name on it and not feel like a smuck.

I still wear my #4 Rivers one that I have... damn glad he came our way for a stint.

Edited September 20, 2007 by OsGOD

[Kp-Wings 3]

Always leave it to the anti-fighting squad to come in and piss all over everthing!

First of all: the relavance of this topic means nothing. Nobody is saying Aaron Downey is going to win us a Stanley Cup. Nobody is saying that he's the 2nd coming of Steve Yzerman and Wayne Gretzky combined. Nobody is saying that the only reason we lost last year is because we didn't have Downey.

Nobody has said anything such, so why is it that because us fans want a player here, everybody get's their dick all tied up in a knot? I swear, this board can be ridiculous on so many levels. If it were Igor Grigorenko or Johan Ryno we were pissing ourselves over, everybody would generally accept that. But because it's Aaron Downey, who God forbid actually fights people, it's considered wrong.

No, fighting does not win hockey games. But at least having a guy that is willing to defend his teammates, most notably the star players, is an invaluable tool that, for the strangest reason, nobody even wants.

I don't care if people don't want a fighter. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I think the Wings should have one, you don't, so I'm fine with that. But why is it everytime we do suggest a fighter, everyone goes ballistic and acts like we're a bunch of idiot cavemen because we want a fighter? I don't get it, and it's pretty astounding to say the least.

Yeah, I buy that. Without Downey our stars are guaranteed to get cheaped and bullied, but Downey's 10 minutes a week will prevent all that?

Umm... did anyone say that it completely eliminated the problem?

Having a fighter won't completely keep guys like Zetterberg from getting beat up on. But it will at least knock it down a little. Without any fighters at all, players just see it as free-range to do whatever they want, and don't have to worry about people going after them.

Hint: Brad Stuart numerous times last year. You'd think Zetterberg slept with his wife or something, considering the amount of times Stuart went out of his way to cheapshot him.

There is a world of difference between Downey and Laraque, and that's just in the SKILL department. You'll notice the Pens didn't go out and get Downey.

You've got to be kidding me. That is some of the most ridiculous crap I've ever seen.

You are generally a pretty smart poster, but this is so far off base it's not even funny. Unless I'm waking up 5000 years in the future, when in the hell did Laraque become skilled? He has never had an offensivily productive season, nor has astonished people with his amazing skill (which he doesn't have).

His skill level is about the same as every other fighter in the league... it generally sucks. That doesn't matter though, since he's a damn good fighter who will protect his teammates, most noteably Crosby. That's why Pittsburgh traded for him. Do you honestly think Ray Shero was sitting up in his office saying "Boy, we should get Georges Laraque because he is such a talented and skilled hockey player!!!"? I highly doubt he was.

Laraque is in no way more "skilled" then Downey. All fighters are about the same: they don't have very much skill. Their fighting attributes are what make them stand out. Laraque is a much better fighter then Downey, I won't deny that. But Laraque is also not on the market right now, and not attending the Wings training camp, while Downey is. So, you take who's left.

Ugh... you know, I don't care if people don't want fighters or stuff like that, but the amount of ridiculous arguements people try to make is what is so frustrating.

I'd also like to thank Detroit #1 Fan for that very nice and informative list he posted, which none of the anti-fighting crew seemed to have a comeback for. Fancy that, eh?

/end rant

Edited September 21, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I dig Aaron Downey b/c I heard he hosts ass-kicking barbeque parties and grills some mean hamburgers and ribs. That's why I want him to make it on Detroit. If I come up for Red WIngs games at all, I can eat the mean hamburgers and be a part of the ass-kicking barbeques at his place of residence.

Other than that, I haven't got a clue why else I dig him yet...

*shrugs*

No way! You heard that too?!?