Some sad news to announce involving another former NHL enforcer
The National Hockey League lost another one if its beloved enforcers this week, as it was announced by the NHLPA that former Stanley Cup Champion Chris Simon passed away. He was just 52 years old.
Simon was drafted 25th overall in the 1990 NHL draft. He was one of the toughest and most feared players throughout his career in the NHL until he exited the league in 2008. He racked up 1,824 PIM and 101 fighting majors in his 15-year NHL career while appearing in 782 regular-season games, and scoring 305 points.
Simon skated with eight different teams including the Nordiques/Avalanche, Capitals, Blackhawks, Rangers, Flames, Islanders and Wild. He accomplished his boyhood dream when he won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996 and made two other Cup Final appearances with the Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames.
Simon also came with his fair share of controversy as he found himself suspended for 65 games over his career including two of the longest suspensions in NHL history. One totalled 25 games and another 30 games.
The Wawa, Ontario native found a new path in life following his career as he became a counsellor for First Nations youth struggling with alcoholism. Like many other enforcers during and before his era, he battled symptoms linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time.
