After being waived by the Arizona Coyotes this January after playing 26 games, Steve Downie had a lot to say about the brief time he had with his former team.
Downie went on an epic Twitter rant criticizing the Coyotes, invoking NHL folk hero John Scott in the process.
First shout out way max domi haha what a punch.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
2nd shout out is to dave tippet and newel brown on running a great program down in AZ there's a reason there in last every year. #classless.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
3rd peterborough Petes are better run then az coyotes
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
4th. I've never played on a team when my best player broke his hand in a fight. Hahah the game has changed. Or tippets an idiot
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Another classless move done by tippet. This really put over the edge last year and made me quit on az.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Dave Tippett is a fairly well respected coach across the league and has held his job through numerous seasons of untenable ownership turmoil and somehow was able to steady the ship. Though Downie doesn’t have much appreciation for that, apparently. Saying an OHL (Canadian Major Junior) team is better run than an NHL team, even one like the Coyotes, is saying something. Also admitting to quitting on your team is fairly bold too.
But those tweets weren’t the end of his rant: just the beginning.
The way they treated big John Scott. I remember watching tippet laugh at big John working his ass off for the team.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
The way they treated big John Scott. I remember watching tippet laugh at big John working his ass off for the team.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Classless. John Scott is the best team mate I've seen in a long time
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
John Scott of course is the NHL “goon” who was voted as Pacific Division captain in the All Star Game last January and was sent down to the minors just before the game in order to try to revoke his eligibility for the game, but not before he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. Downie has a point, though by now, that’s all water under the bridge.
But again, he wasn’t done.
My last game I played for the coyotes.. dave the man tippet didn't let me skate for 4 days not even a morning skate.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Then he randomly wants me in his line up .. Fucking classless
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Interesting. And then he decided to go back to John Scott and focus on Colin Campbell’s role in the controversy.
Collin Campbell asked John Scott if his kids were going to be embarrassed that he's going to all star game. Whatajoke
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
John gets mad at Collin and tells him off then AZ trades him haha who's the puppet
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
That's enough for now merry Christmas to all.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
But, as it turned out, it wasn’t enough for now.
AZ coyotes flys Christian Thomas from Minnesota to Providence after sending him down. He makes it to Providence just in time for the game.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
Christian had season ending injury that night. Not fair. If I was an agent I would not let any of my players go any where near that team
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
…. And to all a good night
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
The former GM of the team, Don Maloney, is now not with the team anymore, so many of these issues could well be resolved under the new regime. But with hockey’s aversion to players who speak their mind out like this, maybe Downie won’t be just out of the picture in Arizona, but beyond there as well.
