![]() On January 5, 2007, Canada won the gold medal for the first time on European ice since 1997 with a 4–2 victory over Russia. Downie returned to the international stage yet again in December 2006, participating in the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Leksand and Mora, Sweden. I’m a gritty, physical player and I also am an offensive player as well."Īfter attending Flyers' training camp in the Fall and playing in several pre-season games, however, the club returned Downie to Peterborough. " was one of the goals that I had set at the beginning of the year and I am just very thankful for this chance. "It is unbelievable," said Downie in a Flyers press release. On May 30, 2006, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that they had signed Downie to a three-year, entry-level contract. I was attacked because of the color of my skin." Aliu stated he viewed the attack as being racially motivated, calling Downie a "racist sociopath" and further remarking "He looked at me and saw a black boy with a weird accent - and didn’t like me because of it. In 2020, Aliu would reflect on the incident in an opinion piece entitled "Hockey Is Not For Everyone". Downie left the team, requesting a trade, and was eventually traded to the Peterborough Petes in exchange for Peter Aston. was suspended by the OHL and later fired by the team, and the team was fined $35,000 by the OHL. The team suspended Downie for five games and Aliu for one, and Downie was told to undergo professional counseling. The incident stemmed from 16-year-old Aliu's refusal to take part in a hazing incident, where he would have been forced to stand naked in a cramped bus bathroom with other rookies. During a practice on September 28, 2005, Downie cross-checked Aliu in the face without warning, knocking out three of his teeth, and then proceeded to fight his younger teammate. ![]() Not long after being drafted, Downie was suspended for five games early in the 2005–06 OHL season for an on-ice altercation with teammate Akim Aliu. Downie was selected in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. ![]()
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