Steve Downie

Lore & Background

Downie grew up in Holland Landing, Ontario, and played minor hockey for the York-Simcoe Express AAA organization. He was drafted by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection and later selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. His junior career included a notable incident in 2005 when he cross-checked teammate Akim Aliu during a practice, knocking out seven of his teeth, leading to a five-game suspension and a trade to the Peterborough Petes. Downie played for Canada at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning gold medals both times and being named to the all-tournament team in 2006.

In his first full professional season, Downie was suspended 20 games by the NHL for a hit on Dean McAmmond during a pre-season game. He made his NHL debut in December 2007 and scored his first goal in January 2008. Later that season, his skate hit a linesman, causing facial fractures that forced the linesman to retire. Downie was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in November 2008. In 2009, he received another 20-game suspension for slashing a linesman in the AHL. He played his first full NHL season in 2009–10, recording 22 goals and 46 points, and became the first player since Theoren Fleury to score 20 goals and record over 200 penalty minutes in a season.

Reader's Guide

Downie's NHL career is notable for the contrast between his offensive capabilities and his history of disciplinary issues. He achieved a career-high 46 points and 22 goals in the 2009–10 season with the Lightning, and later set a franchise record for the two quickest goals by an individual, scoring twice in 11 seconds against the Pittsburgh Penguins in February 2012. However, his career was also defined by multiple suspensions: a 20-game NHL suspension for a hit on Dean McAmmond, a 20-game AHL suspension for slashing a linesman, and a five-game OHL suspension for an attack on teammate Akim Aliu. The Aliu incident was later described by Aliu as racially motivated. Downie's aggressive style led to him leading the Lightning in plus-minus during the 2011 playoffs, as the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals. He played for five NHL teams, including the Arizona Coyotes, before retiring.

Did You Know?

• Downie was suspended five games in the OHL for cross-checking teammate Akim Aliu and knocking out seven of his teeth.
• Downie scored two goals in 11 seconds against the Pittsburgh Penguins in February 2012, a Tampa Bay Lightning franchise record.

Roots in Ontario Minor Hockey

Steve Downie was born on April 3, 1987, in Holland Landing, Ontario, where he grew up as the younger son of Anne and John Downie. With one sibling, Greg, he attended Sacred Heart High School in Newmarket before later enrolling at St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Windsor in 2004. His early hockey development came through the York-Simcoe Express AAA organization of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, where he represented Canada at the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. His leadership qualities emerged early: in April 2002, he guided his Express Bantam squad to the All-Ontario AAA Championship. That foundation in competitive Ontario junior hockey set the stage for his selection in the first round, 16th overall, by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2003 OHL Priority Selection, marking the beginning of his path toward the professional game.

The Aliu Incident and Its Ripples

In September 2005, shortly after Downie had been drafted 29th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, a practice session at the Windsor Spitfires turned violent. During a hazing ritual in which 16-year-old teammate Akim Aliu was pressured to stand naked in a cramped bus bathroom with other rookies, Aliu refused to participate. Downie cross-checked Aliu in the face without warning, knocking out seven teeth, and then initiated a physical fight. The Spitfires suspended Downie for five games and Aliu for one, and Downie was directed to seek professional counseling. Head Coach Moe Mantha Jr. was suspended by the OHL and subsequently fired, while the organization received a $35,000 fine. Downie requested a trade and was dealt to the Peterborough Petes in exchange for Peter Aston. In 2020, Aliu published an opinion piece titled "Hockey Is Not For Everyone," in which he characterized the attack as racially motivated, calling Downie a "racist sociopath" and stating he was targeted because of the color of his skin.

World Junior Gold and a Turbulent NHL Debut

Downie's talent shone brightest on the international stage. At the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Vancouver, he contributed two goals and four assists across six games, earning a spot on the all-tournament team as Canada captured the gold medal. He returned to the international scene in December 2006 for the 2007 tournament in Leksand and Mora, Sweden, where Canada defeated Russia 4-2 for their first European gold since 1997. Back in North America, Downie signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Flyers in May 2006, describing himself as both gritty and offensively capable. Yet his NHL arrival was marred by controversy. A pre-season hit on Dean McAmmond in September 2007 resulted in a 20-game suspension, the fifth-longest in NHL history at the time. After serving time in the AHL, he finally debuted in December 2007. Weeks later, he sucker-punched Jason Blake while linesmen held Blake's arms, and in February 2008, a skate struck linesman Pat Dapuzzo in the face, causing ten fractures and 60 stitches that ended Dapuzzo's career.

A Journey Through Five NHL Franchises

Downie's professional career carried him across multiple NHL franchises. After turbulent first seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, during which he was repeatedly demoted to the AHL affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 7, 2008, alongside Steve Eminger, in exchange for defenceman Matt Carle. Upon arriving in Tampa, he was immediately assigned to the Norfolk Admirals before being recalled to the NHL roster. Over the course of his career, Downie also suited up for the Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Arizona Coyotes. His playing style, as he himself described it upon signing with Philadelphia, blended physical grit with offensive ability. Despite the controversies that shadowed his tenure in the league, Downie carved out a place in the NHL across five different organizations, a testament to his durability and the willingness of multiple teams to give him another opportunity.

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