I like Tangradi, too, and don’t really feel the Pens have given him a legitimate chance to shine. But I just get the sense that Bylsma wants a guy with more speed.

Downie’s probably a bit of a reach, although I do think he might work well with Sid given his skating and underrated offensive skills. Like you and IvanT, ideally I’d want someone with more size. Kind of a younger, cheaper version of Ryan Malone.

Another guy I’ve always liked is R.J. Umberger. He works really hard, is always around the puck, and seems to make things happen when he’s on the ice (at least when he’s playing against the Pens). While he’s not overly physical in a fighting sense, he’s got size (6-2, 216) and at 29, is just entering his prime. And he’s always posted solid numbers, although he’s having a bit of a down year (9 goals).

Unfortunately, his cap hit is a whopping $3.75 mil. Even if we could afford him, it would probably take more than a Lovejoy/Tangradi combo to get him. Most likely a decent, proven forward and a top defensive prospect.

Downie would be a bit of a gamble, so you sure don’t want to overpay to get him. From watching him last night, he probably needs to work on his conditioning (he tends to skate in short little bursts). But I think he has an intriguing upside.

Also, I don’t know if the Pens would be able to clear enough cap space to get him or what they’d have to give up in return (probably more than Lovejoy and/or Tangradi). But it sure would be great to see him wearing a Pens uniform again.