Steve Downie Receives 20 Game Suspension
 

Steve Downie of The Philadelphia Flyers received a massive suspension for a hit that would most likely would have been a maximum of 5 or even 10 games last season and 1-3 games in previous seasons. He did everything wrong, but I have seen similar hits receiving no supsnesions, such as Cam Janssen and Tomas Kaberle last year. I think this penalty is too harsh and was expecting 5 games. If the NHL suspends Downie for twenty games, maybe they should hand out similar suspensions for most hits to the head. This penalty will not deter this type of play, especially from the energy players and hard hitting power fowards. Any thoughts? By the way, he still can play in the AHL and come back after 20 games.

20 games does seem a bit over the top, and if he can play with the Phantoms well no real issue I suppose. I doubt he was a lock to make the club outta camp anyway, have not heard much buzz about him yet. Will be interesting to see if the league keeps this up or slowly drifts away as the season progresses along, much like they did several yrs ago with the obstruction and interference calls.........

As long as the NHL is planning to apply this to starts and scrubs alike, that is fine. Personally I'd like to see them call diving more often so that guys like Crosby and Ribeiro got their just desserts for playing dirty like that too.

You all know I'm a die hard Flyers fan but even I have to admit that was a pretty cheap hit. Its one thing to try and catch a guy with his head down ala Scott Stevens but to leave your skates is unexcusable. Twenty games is harsh but I didn't see Downie making the club out of camp this year anyway. When he does stick with the club he will be an instant fan favorite for sure.:)!

20 sounds like a lot i thought. 10 maybe... not 20 though. the guy is lucky he didn't get killed though from a skate, since everyone was jumping on the guy... a few came close to him it looked like.

He was a lock to make to the team after the Flyers lost gour players to injury for up to six weeks during the same game. Upshall has a fractured wrist, one foward broke a finger, Lupul is out with a sprained wrist, and Randy Jones is out indefinitely