Simmonds retires after 15-year NHL career
Wayne Simmonds announced his retirement from the NHL on Monday.
Simmonds, 35, will sign a one-day contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on April 13, the team announced. He played eight years with the Flyers, racking up 203 goals and 378 points in 584 games.
"It's hard to describe my emotions on a day like this, but one of my very first thoughts as I look back is my life in Philadelphia and playing for the Flyers," Simmonds said. "Taking the ice in a Flyers sweater is a special feeling and it's one that I'm truly proud of. The history of this franchise and standard of being a Flyer that was set is unique and one that I hold in the highest regard.
"Perhaps the biggest reason for that is the way the fans embrace this team. It was a thrill to play for you all these years, and you mean so much to me."
The Scarborough, Ontario native spent the last three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was an unrestricted free agent and hadn't played a game this campaign.
Simmonds was a lethal presence on the Flyers' power play in his prime. From 2011-12 through 2017-18, only Alex Ovechkin scored more than Simmonds' 86 power-play goals.
The power forward eclipsed the 30-goal mark twice and reached a career-high of 60 points on two occasions. His best campaign came in 2015-16, when he scored 32 goals, 60 points, and racked up a career-most 147 penalty minutes.
Simmonds was drafted 61st overall in 2007 by the Los Angeles Kings. After three seasons in L.A., he was dealt to the Flyers in the Mike Richards trade.
His Flyers tenure ended in 2019 when he was traded to the Nashville Predators before the deadline. Simmonds signed with the New Jersey Devils that offseason and was moved to the Buffalo Sabres at the 2020 trade deadline.
Simmonds finished his career with his hometown Maple Leafs. He played 128 games with Toronto over three seasons, totaling 12 goals, 27 points, and 190 penalty minutes.
Over his 1,037-game career, Simmonds accumulated 263 goals, 526 points, and 1,313 penalty minutes. He won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2019.