Steve Downie

Steve Downie is a Canadian winger on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He was drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft, following an explosive and promising career in the OHL. Downie has been at the center of numerous controversies and punishments in the OHL since he began playing there in 2003. In 2007, he participated in Flyers’ preseason games, where he received a 20 game suspension without ever playing in a regular season game. Downie injured Dean McAmmond of the Ottawa Senators with a hit that resulted in a head injury. While it was not an incredibly vicious hit, Downie did leave his feet to make contact and the league�s new policy on head injuries saw a chance to make an example to the rest of the league.

In 2007, Downie finally made his debut against the Minnesota Wild on December 5. He played in 32 games, scoring 6 goals and 12 points while racking up 73 penalty minutes. Downie was a fan favorite in Philly, as he plays in the same style that the Flyers’ teams of the seventies did, earning them the name “Broad Street Bullies.” He was traded to Tampa Bay near the start of the 2008-09 season.

Downie does have talent, however, and has won two gold medals with Team Canada in the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships.