The “Wayne Train” has made its final stop, as Canadian bruiser Wayne Simmonds, whose fifteen season pro career spanned six teams in two countries, along with three stints on Team Canada, drew to a close, with recurring injuries forcing the 35 year old to hang it up after remaining a free agent for the current NHL season, signing a one-day contract to retire as a Philadelphia Flyer.
A 2007 second round pick of the Los Angeles Kings, Simmonds made a quick impact once joining the Kings in 2008, but after a trade following three seasons in California to Philadelphia, it was as a Flyer where Simmonds shone as both an offensive and physical powerhouse, becoming an instant fan favourite, community presence and eventually alternate captain, in his eight seasons with the Flyers, winning the NHL All Star MVP Award in 2017 and Messier Award for Leadership in 2019. Following a trade deadline deal to Nashville in 2019, injuries and a desire to be closer to family led to short stints with the Predators, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, before joining his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020. Simmonds would spend his final three pro seasons in Toronto, but injuries led to reduced playing time in his final seasons. Simmonds retires with 526 points and 1,313 penalty minutes in 1,037 NHL career games, along with another 22 points in 53 playoff games.
A native of the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Simmonds debuted for the national team at the 2008 World Junior Championship, which saw a Canadian squad littered with future Hall of Famers capture Canada’s fourth straight Gold medal in Pardubice, Czechia. Thanks to his NHL playoff successes, Simmonds would only appear at two World Championships, in 2013 and 2017, capturing Silver at the latter in Cologne, Germany, marking four points in 25 games total for Team Canada.
Simmonds captured the IHLC four times in his career, first in the lead-up to the 2008 World Juniors, with the last coming in the 2017 Worlds group finale. We wish Wayne and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!
International Hockey Lineal Championship 