Former NHL left winger and enforcer Chris Simon died on the age of 52. The NHL and a number of other of his former groups confirmed the information Tuesday.
The 15-year NHL veteran of Ojibwe descent performed for seven franchises together with the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche, the Washington Capitals, the Calgary Flames, the New York Islanders, the Chicago Blackhawks, the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild.
The Philadelphia Flyers drafted Simon with the twenty fifth choose in 1990 and traded him to Quebec as a part of the seismic Eric Lindros deal that despatched the middle to Philadelphia.
The NHL Alumni Affiliation is devastated to be taught that Stanley Cup Champion, Chris Simon, has handed away on the age of 52 years outdated.
Chris was drafted twenty fifth general within the 1990 draft to the @NHLFlyers, however could be traded to the Quebec Nordiques earlier than enjoying for Philly. He… pic.twitter.com/jufiR9RhBS
— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) March 19, 2024
Simon performed 782 profession NHL video games scoring 144 objectives and 305 factors, amassing 1,824 profession penalty minutes, and was suspended for 65 video games. He was as soon as given a 30-game suspension for stomping on the again of Pittsburgh Penguin Jarkko Ruutu’s leg and a 25-game suspension for a two-handed swing into the face of New York Ranger Ryan Hollweg, amongst different suspensions.
Simon additionally scored 10 objectives in 75 profession playoff video games, 5 coming within the Flames’ 2004 run to the Stanley Cup Remaining. He performed 18 playoff video games for the Capitals throughout their 1998 run to the ultimate. However the Wawa, Ont., native received a Cup with the Avalanche in 1996, the franchise’s inaugural season after transferring from Quebec Metropolis.
“Chris was an incredible man, a beloved teammate and an essential a part of our first championship season,” Avalanche group president and former captain Joe Sakic mentioned in a press release. “He was a extremely good hockey participant who might rating objectives, was a giant presence within the dressing room and was the primary individual to face up and defend his teammates. Off the ice, he was an unbelievable man and a caring father, son, brother and pal. He will likely be sorely missed.”
The NHL additionally launched a press release and referred to as Simon “a fierce competitor and teammate.”
“The Nationwide Hockey League mourns the passing of Chris Simon, who performed in additional than 800 NHL video games over 15 seasons,” the league mentioned. “Our honest condolences exit to his household, mates and former teammates.”
Following Simon’s remaining NHL season in 2008, he spent six seasons within the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. He performed for the Chekhov Vityaz, Moscow Dynamo and Novokuznetsk Metallurg.
(Photograph: Nick Laham / Getty Photographs)