Canadiens claim Downey off waivers from Blues

[jason37 2]

http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect...newsItemID=4745

[donkey87 0]

Should bring some physical play to the Canadiens. Pretty good fighter too, his fight against Carolina a couple of years ago, was great.

[althoma1 574]

Is a physical player really what the HABs need...especially in this new NHL? I didn't watch the game Saturday as I was out at a party, but I know they only scored 2 goals...that's 2 games in a row. Against Calgary they got into a lot of penalty trouble. They need to stop taking so many penalties, bury the chances they do get, play better D and hope Theo can regain his former Vezina/MVP form. Personally I'd rather see a guy like Higgins, Perezhogin, Plekanic or Begin get the time Downey will take up...those guys are more offensively gifted than Downey seems to be based on those stats....although he can't be much worse than Bonk

[donkey87 0]

Seems what the Habs need is defense and energy. Downey will create energy when he gets on the ice. The Canadiens do not need more scorers, they need their scorers to score goals. I don't see Downey as a player who will play every game, he is one of those guys that the Habs can put into the line up to provide a spark.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Is a physical player really what the HABs need...Personally I'd rather see a guy like Higgins, Perezhogin, Plekanic or Begin get the time Downey will take up...those guys are more offensively gifted than Downey seems to be based on those stats....although he can't be much worse than Bonk

Don't forget Garth Murray. He has played well. Even Jonathon Ferland is a guy that has a place and role on this team. This new guy is only going to steal time from them. I hope Bob knows somethign we don't.

Tomas Plekanec is back tonight...he should help the Defensive break downs.

All is not lost in Hab-land...but it's damn close.

[Adam91 0]

I've heard Murray might be out for the season as it looked like he went into the boards pretty heavily against the Canucks.

[althoma1 574]

Plekanec has looked great tonight...nice move through the legs and then the post and then the nice breakaway goal. It's too bad I can't say that about anyone else on the team. Man oh man Gainey isn't going to be happy about this one. Players better start packing their bags and looking for Real Estate agents if they keep this up.

[donkey87 0]

Downey had an assist and was +1 for the game. Not bad for a fighter.

[PJLime 0]

Downey and the Blues head coach (Mike Kitchen) apparently butted heads about ice time, with Kitchen wanting to play youngers guys more. Probably be a better situation for Downey in the long run. I read some quotes in the St. Louis paper about Blues players happy he's ended up somewhere instead of being out of the NHL.

My brother-in-law met him before the season started, I think at a golf tournament, and said he was a really nice guy.

St. Louis Post Dispatch Article