from Sarah McLellen of azcentral sports,

“He can play all over the lineup, and I think that versatility makes him a very valuable player,” Tippett said.

Considering he’s had stints with the Penguins, Avalanche and Lightning, the cast of characters Downie has been around is impressive – Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Nathan MacKinnon. Downie has tried to absorb as much as he can from these stars and strike a balance between being an agitator and contributing offensively.

Last season, Downie led the league in penalty minutes with 238.

“There are some things there that we’ll have a good talk about before the start of the season, but he plays hard,” Tippett said. “Guys that play hard and stick up for teammates are going to get some penalties, but there’s some that are warranted and some that he can probably take out of his game.”

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