I agree 100%, but even Probert, Domi, and McSorely could play hockey. Now, so can Downie, but a guy like Probert, known for dropping the gloves as much as anything, wasn't a reckless player. Aside from the Brashear incident (which carries a ton of weight), McSorely was a fairly honest player, he just went over the top and that ended his career.

However, Downie is not a Probert or a McSorely or even a Paul Laus. He should be doing more of what Esa Tikanen did, chipping in supplementary scoring and being the player that DRAWS penalties by being the most annoying player in the league.
- jmatchett383

I was watching some old action of a couple of those guys you mentioned above on the weekend, I also watched an article on Probert. If what was & is now can be compared - which is very debatable, I cannot see Downie as an enforcer. Now in saying that the game has changed so much as has the role that Probert & the like played, I cannot see a comparison. The footage I watched about Probert actually detailed what his role was & in his interview he explained how he went about his business.

What was said mentioned the rules they played by & who was off limits & who wasn't. Great players were off limits, & Probert (in this particular piece) even stated there was a code that they followed & basically stuck to. Now maybe I'm being naive to think that everyone followed these 'rules' every game, as they were probably broken from time to time?

So now in the current version of the NHL it appears no one is off limits, & the code is not respected or followed. Different players taking different risks with the rules & no one there to 'over see' the chaos. So the Downie's of the game aren't quite an enforcer, but carry on like pork chops at times. The Rinaldos & Carcillos of the game are the lunatics that just try to hurt people any way possible - those types would have been scraped off the ice if playing against Probert I would imagine.

The game has changed but we are still putting old analogies on the new plays when I believe that there should be new terms being used for garbage of today. When the Caps started the poop against us in games 2 & 3, how can that compare to the 'old' days or are you calling Wilson? & Sill enforcers that punch on each game they play each other? How does it compare that a few teams use physical intimidation against the Pens to beat us - did that happen in the days of the 'real' enforcer? These days the fights are tactical & a lot more precise (I believe), than the days where you knew there was going to be a fight. It has become a tool much more than just an event that disrupts a game if you know what I mean - & by that you see a varied group involved in the 'tactics' specifically used by certain coaches. So the Probert or 'enforcer' days have evolved where I saw Bob throwing down hammers against another of his type in 1 game & have Shanahan fighting sticking up for his team mates in a rough game, to today where a Shanahan type player will start crap just to disrupt an opponent or team & do it purposely not in defence of anyone, & a Rinaldo type hitting someone illegally to take him out of the game. I'm not saying that that didn't happen but it was a different era - a different game with different repercussions for Rinaldo.

I can see a big difference between then & now that everyone seems to melt together. Gone are the days where Rinaldo types will try to take out other Rinaldo types - they try for the stars now. There are no enforcers & the Downie's of the game are guys that can't quite get to enforcer type so they play until the switch is pressed & flip out. When was the last time Downie purposely took on someone consecutive games - meaning someone he played against in a team where they fought in consecutive games that was planned? A little like Probert saying he looked at a calendar & marked off the games where he was going to fight a particular person no matter what (Domi was actually the example he used but did mention others)?

That's my take for what it's worth, & I cringe when people say that the 'enforcers' do nothing to deter foul play. That's because they aren't enforcers like the old days - because we aren't playing in the old days.

Yeah but this is the NHL not the kindergarten class you teach. You can't scream at adults like you can to kids, you'll find most arnt even scared of you they just think you're a giant DB. But you seem like the classiest kind of former highschool bully grown up to be wife beater type there is it's just that no one wants to see some maniac having a tantrum every 20 seconds as the leader of the team. The coach should be an intelligent, calming, voice of reason for these players not some raving, druling lunatic.
- Dcoms

You're probably right but.......Torts does have a great resume if you want some of that out of control entertaining type stuff. loved it when he tried to get into the Flames sheds after the first period.

Until downie does somthing that actually prevents a win or hurts the team during a playoff game i say hes fine.

Downie deserved his. I dont think he really meant to shove the linesman the way he did. He kind offell and brought the guy down with him, but he also didnt stop when the linesman was telling him to. Not that all players do (they typically dont), but they also dont pull a linseman down.

But saying Kunitz shot the puck at the ref is like saying a dump in is shooting it at them. That one im not buying.
- thickman1178

Its not everyday you see a linesman dive to protect a playeer in a scrum.

Until downie does somthing that actually prevents a win or hurts the team during a playoff game i say hes fine.
- Grinder47

Amen

Until downie does somthing that actually prevents a win or hurts the team during a playoff game i say hes fine.
- Grinder47

He has 42 minors and the refs hate him. I don't think that helps the Pens win.

He has 42 minors and the refs hate him. I don't think that helps the Pens win.
- madmike71

If he could just play hockey, agitate a bit and not go overboard, fine. But it just seems he can't do that, he typically goes too far.

If he could just play hockey, agitate a bit and not go overboard, fine. But it just seems he can't do that, he typically goes too far.
- powerhouse

There's two sides of Downie, the Juniors player who could dangle and put up great points, and the side everyone knows. It seems that if someone gets under his skin (pretty easy) we see the side that everyone knows. The past few games after he was scratched for taking dumb penalties he actually settled down. Last game he accidentally knocked the ref down when he went Downie mode and that set it off from there.

If only we could see that Juniors player full time... The past 10 games before that we actually kept our composure through the games and we won. Stick to the game plan, don't go Downie mode and we are fine.

Until downie does somthing that actually prevents a win or hurts the team during a playoff game i say hes fine.
- Grinder47

book it

book it
- Cptmjl

I feel like playoffs are more suited for Downies antics. They allow a lot more dirty play IMO

I feel like playoffs are more suited for Downies antics. They allow a lot more dirty play IMO
- dbell646

I agree, but the problem is they wont allow it to come from Downie. His name will get him 2 minutes every time. I cant even count the number of times this year I have seen him get a penalty for the name on his sweater where any other player wouldnt have been whistled for the same thing.

I agree, but the problem is they wont allow it to come from Downie. His name will get him 2 minutes every time. I cant even count the number of times this year I have seen him get a penalty for the name on his sweater where any other player wouldnt have been whistled for the same thing.
- thickman1178

If he gets 200 playoff penalty minutes I'll be happy. It'll mean we played a lot of games