Wayne Simmonds benched during Saturday's game against the Flames
It has been anything but an easy season for Maple Leafs winger Wayne Simmonds, who has found himself a healthy scratch more often than he's played so far this season.
There was some excitement in the air in Leafs Nation when it was announced mid-week that Simmonds would draw back into the lineup during tonight's matchup with the Calgary Flames. Unfortunately, Simmonds didn't play much in the contest. In fact, he found himself stapled to the bench for the vast majority of the third period.
Simmonds took a pair of ill-advised penalties in the game, the second of which led to the Flames' go-ahead goal early in the third period. From that point on, Simmonds did not see another shift, as some of the Leafs' skilled forwards ended up double-shifting with the team's fourth line in Simmons' spot.
Simmonds played a team-low 6:54 in the team's 5-4 OT win against the Flames and with rookie call-up Joey Anderson looking very good in his season debut with the Leafs, I'd imagine that we'll see Simmonds back in the press box when Engvall re-enters the lineup against Anaheim on Tuesday. Very unfortunate for the veteran winger, who was simply trying to play with a little more pep in his step to try to show the coaching staff that he belongs in the lineup.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 10 | 359 ANSWERS Wayne Simmonds benched during Saturday's game against the Flames Will Wayne Simmonds end up back in the press box for the Leafs' game against the Ducks on Tuedsay? | ||
| Yes | 317 | 88.3 % |
| No | 42 | 11.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
