Steve Downie has been on a roll on social media the last 48 hours or so.
In a daylong Twitter tirade that began Friday morning, the former NHL agitator teed off on the Coyotes and "classless" coach Dave Tippett, for whom he played, and the league's handling of the John Scott/All-Star debacle of 2015.
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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
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
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
Downie wished "a merry Christmas to all ... and to all a good night," but came back for a second round three hours later directed at hockey commentator Don Cherry and the NHL's handling of concussions, a serious issue with which Downie dealt with on a personal level through his 12-year playing career.
Bigras of the Avalanche has been stuck in a hotel for three weeks with a concussion. I wish I knew I would have got him the help he needed
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 23, 2016
"But I would have have did it three weeks earlier," he followed. "NHL + concussions equal f— joke."
That hit is what happens when you watch don cherry rock em sock em videos from age 5 to 18. Nothing good comes from those vids
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 24, 2016
I just did what I had to do to play. I still think about what I did to Dean macomond and what I caused him to go through with his family.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 24, 2016
"But again, I did what don cherry said to do every Saturday night. Just f— disgusted when I look back. Wish I never played."
Sorry Don, but you called me a pussy for wearing a visor and trying to protect my eyes. Sad thing is I listened to you.
— Steve Downie (@stevedownie23) December 24, 2016
Downie, currently an NHL free agent, played 26 games last season for Tippett and the Coyotes until he was waived in January 2016. In 2013, upon being traded from the Avalanche to the Flyers, he was taken to a hospital following a fight with then-Capitals tough guy Aaron Volpatti, in which he suffered a concussion and a broken orbital bone.
