Steve Downie of the Philadelphia Flyers was suspended for 20 games by the NHL on Friday for his hit on Ottawa's Dean McAmmond during a pre-season game earlier in the week.

Philadelphia's Steve Downie battles with Anton Volchenkov of the Ottawa Senators minutes before the hit on Dean McAmmond.
(Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

McAmmond suffered a concussion when he was levelled by Downie behind the net 2:39 into the second period of a pre-season game won by the Senators on Tuesday at Scotiabank Place.

Downie skated in from the blue-line and left his feet to deliver the hit.

Downie and Philadelphia general manager Paul Holmgren attended a hearing in Toronto with Colin Campbell, the NHL's executive vice-president and director of hockey operations.

"If you leave your feet, if you target an opponent's head, if you hit an unsuspecting, or target a player … there is no doubt there was also intent here, as well," Campbell told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "This hit contained all five criteria."

Downie, 20, is trying to crack the Philadelphia lineup in his first pro season, having been drafted by the club in the first round of the 2005 NHL entry draft.

If Downie is cut by the Flyers he will have to serve the suspension if he returns to the NHL.

Further discipline

Should he be sent down to the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League, it is not known whether he will face further discipline.

The Newmarket, Ont., native won gold twice as a member of Canada's world junior hockey team, but was known for questionable hits when he played junior hockey with the Windsor Spitfires, Peterborough Petes and Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.

He was traded by Windsor in the fallout from a hazing incident in 2005 that led to coach Moe Mantha being fired. Downie fought with Spitfire teammate Akim Aliu, a Chicago Blackhawk prospect.

McAmmond lay motionless on the ice Tuesday as he was attended to by team physician Dr. Don Chow, and later was wheeled out on a stretcher by paramedics and transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

Medical personal carry McAmmond out on a stretcher following Downie's hit.
(Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

He was released from hospital a day later, and spoke to the media on Thursday, relaying a phone call he received from Downie.

"He called and I called him back," McAmmond said. "He just kind of reiterated what he said on TV, that he didn't mean to hurt me.

McAmmond has suffered two concussions in less than four months.

The veteran had scored five goals for Ottawa in the playoffs before he received an elbow from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

McAmmond did not return in the championship series, which Anaheim clinched in five games.

"People say I have got concussion problems, but I don't have concussion problems," McAmmond said on Thursday. "I have got a problem with people giving me traumatic blows to the head, that's what I have got a problem with."