Flyers trust prospect's temper

[swflyers25]

By ED MORAN
morane@phillynews.com

It would have been a lot easier for Steve Downie to win a spot on the Flyers' roster without having to deal with the aftermath of a season of conflict.

But for Downie, that is impossible.

The Flyers' 2005 first-round draft choice was suspended twice last season from two junior hockey teams, earning a reputation as a hothead and a discipline problem.

The Windsor Spitfires traded Downie to the Peterborough Petes after he was suspended for altercations with a teammate. With the Petes, he was suspended for a second time by the Ontario Hockey League for an altercation during a game.

The Flyers, however, did not shy away from Downie and signed him to a 3-year entry-level contract in May. Yesterday, the 19-year-old winger was among the crop of young players doing their best to impress the Flyers' coaches at the opening of the team's rookie training camp.

"I had a lot of ups and down last season. I sat out a couple of months, but got back playing and the second half of the season was good," Downie said.

"I'm trying to put that behind me now. It was a learning experience. Everywhere I go, people keep bringing it up. But it's over and I'm going to put it behind me."

And that's the way the Flyers are looking at it as well. Downie is a talented young prospect, and he proved to be among the best juniors available while playing on the Canadian World Junior team last year.

General manager Bob Clarke said the Flyers will simply look at Downie as another rookie prospect trying to find a spot on a team deep in forwards.

Clarke said he felt that with the disciplined setting of an NHL team, Downie would not have a problem.

"From where we view his development, when he's had proper and strict supervision, he's been no problem," Clarke said. "But when the supervision is lackadaisical or not there, he oversteps his boundaries. But we've seen that in players forever.

"It's not like this is the first guy," Clarke said. "There have always been players that perform better with tougher coaches and tougher discipline, tougher rules that are enforced.

"He still has to take responsibility for his own actions. He can't just say it's someone else's fault. His problems are his own fault. He's one of those players you have to have lots of discipline on. And that's not a big deal to us."

Downie would like nothing better than to not have to answer any more questions about last year, and he hopes that his play in camp will give him an opportunity to show he is a player more than a problem.

If he does not make the Flyers' NHL roster, he will have to go back to juniors for another season.

"I'm going to take all the opportunities I can get and do my best," Downie said. "I'm a physical player, I'm not that big, but I can throw my weight around. But I've got some hands and I can find the back of the net.

"Everyone hopes to make the team, they have a lot of players here," he said. "I just want to make an impression and make their decision hard."

Tickets available

Tickets for the Flyers' home preseason games will go on sale tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Wachovia Center box office, logging onto www.philadelphiaflyers.com or by calling 800-298-4200.

Philly.com

[quagmire]

Downie is a good player and agitator. Just look at what he did in the world jr's he played a huge part in canada winning.

[Drew]

Downie = a young Darcy Tucker from what I've heard. :)

[Pitkanen44]

Originally Posted by Drew

Downie = a young Darcy Tucker from what I've heard. :)

That excites you?

Darcy Tucker is an absolute douchebag.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Pitkanen44

That excites you?

Darcy Tucker is an absolute douchebag.

Against the opposition, yes.

If Downey can control his emotions and play the gritty nuisance style of hockey which people have compared him to Tucker, I'd love a player like that. It agitates and throws the other team off, trust me. I used to play like that, and was an absolute prick (but fair, without the cheapshots). ;)

[Pitkanen44]

I don't mind a pest, but Darcy Tucker is beyond pest.

If he can get under people's skin and just bother the heck out of them to get them off their game, I'm all for it. I just don't want to see him act like an idiot.

I'm confident he'll be able control his emotions enough.

[metalflyer]

I'm hoping for more of a Claude Lemieux or Esa Tikkanen-type than a Darcy Tucker. I couldn't stand either of them back in the day, but neither of them did the lame stuff (at least to my knowledge) that Tucker is known for.

[Pitkanen44]

Yeah, hopefully he won't act mortally wounded then play the next shift...

[quagmire]

Id say he has better hands than tucker this kid although he likes to muck it up has alot of skill.

[Pitkanen44]

Hopefully he can duplicate Ben Eager. They need a few guys like that.