Wayne Simmonds
| Wayne Simmonds | |
|---|---|
 With the Flyers in 2011. |
|
| Born | August 26, 1988 Scarborough, ON, CAN |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb) |
| Position | Right wing |
| Shoots | Right |
| NHL team Former teams |
Philadelphia Flyers Los Angeles Kings |
| National team |  Canada |
| NHL Draft | 61st overall, 2007 Los Angeles Kings |
| Playing career | 2008–present |
Wayne Simmonds (born August 26, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is known to his teammates by the nickname Simmer.[1]
Contents |
Playing career
Simmonds grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, the third of four sons, in addition to one daughter, born to Cyril Simmonds and Wanda Mercury-Simmonds.[2] Despite his proximity to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Simmonds has said that he grew up a fan primarily of the Detroit Red Wings.[3] He is of Black Nova Scotian descent.
At age 16, Simmonds played youth hockey with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Greater Toronto Hockey League in the 2004–05 season. He then moved up to junior hockey with the Brockville Braves of the Central Junior A Hockey League for the 2005–06 season. He finished his junior career playing in the Ontario Hockey League from 2006 until 2008, with the Owen Sound Attack and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He also played for Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[4] While playing with the Jr. Canadiens, Simmonds became friends with Chris Stewart, another black player who went on to an NHL career. The two would later purchase a house together in Toronto, where they live during the off-season.[5]
A right-handed shooter, Simmonds was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, as the 61st overall pick.[2] He was one of three rookies to make the team's roster for its 2008–09 season. On October 14, 2008, in only his third career game, Simmonds scored his first career NHL goal by knocking a rebound past Jean-Sébastien Giguère of the Anaheim Ducks.[6] During his rookie season, Simmonds became a favorite among L.A. fans for his strong work ethic on and off the ice,[1] a trait he has said was instilled within him by his parents.[7]
Entering his second NHL season, Simmonds was looking to increase his offensive production, having tied for the Kings' goal-scoring lead in pre-season play that year.[8] He ultimately scored 40 points in the 2009-10 regular season, nearly doubling his point total of the previous season. Additionally, he led the team in +/- and saw substantive time as a member of the team's penalty killing unit.[9] When the Kings unsuccessfully pursued a trade for superstar left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, then of the Atlanta Thrashers, shortly before that season's All-Star break, Simmonds was among the Kings' players whom Atlanta coveted in return.[10]
He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, along with Brayden Schenn and a 2012 2nd round pick, for Mike Richards and Rob Bordson on June 23, 2011.[11] Simmonds achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick in a 5–2 loss to the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center on February 11, 2012.[12]
Banana incident
On September 22, 2011, during a preseason game in London, Ontario between the Detroit Red Wings and the Flyers, a banana was thrown on the ice while Simmonds was making a shootout attempt.[13] This was seen as an act of racism. The following day, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement regarding the events of the previous day. "We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game," said Bettman in the statement, "the obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario".[14] The suspect, Christopher Moorhouse, was later identified and charged with engaging in a prohibited activity under the Trespass Act.[15]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens | GTHL | 67 | 32 | 40 | 72 | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Brockville Braves | CJHL | 49 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 127 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 66 | 23 | 26 | 49 | 112 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 29 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | OHL | 31 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 68 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 22 | ||
| 2008–09 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 82 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 116 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 2010–11 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 75 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | ||
| NHL totals | 240 | 39 | 54 | 93 | 264 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 29 | ||||
References
- ^ a b Medina, Mark. (2009, December 9). "Kings' Wayne Simmonds steps into contributing role" Los Angeles Times
- ^ a b Elliott, Helene (2008-10-01). "NHL dream near reality for Kings' Wayne Simmonds". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/sports/hockey/nhl/kings/la-sp-elliott1-2008oct01,0,6055937.column. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ Elliott, Helene. (2010, January 25). "Kings' Wayne Simmonds to have a homecoming in Toronto", Los Angeles Times
- ^ "Player Card: Wayne Simmonds". National Hockey League. http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474190. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ Campbell, Ken. (2010, August 2). "The Impossible Dream", The Hockey News
- ^ Elliott, Helene (2008-10-14). Kings rewarded in 6-3 win over Ducks "Kings rewarded in 6-3 win over Ducks". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ducks/la-sp-elliott15-2008oct15,0,1673048.column Kings rewarded in 6-3 win over Ducks. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ McGourty, John. (2009, February 1). "Right wing trio adds to the NHL's expanding diversity", NHL.com
- ^ Elloitt, Helene. (2009, October 2). "Wayne Simmonds is reaching his goals" Los Angeles Times
- ^ http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=508326
- ^ Markazi, Arash. (2010, February 4). "Kings do right in standing pat", ESPN.com
- ^ "Flyers deal Richards to Kings for Simmonds and Schenn". The Sports Network. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=369795. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
- ^ Kimelman, Adam. "Callahan's hat trick powers Rangers past Flyers, 5–2," National Hockey League, Saturday, February 11, 2012.
- ^ "Fan throws banana peel at Philadelphia Flyers' forward Wayne Simmonds during preseason game". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2011/09/23/2011-09-23_racist_fan_throws_banana_peel_at_flyers_forward_wayne_simmonds_during_preseason_.html.
- ^ TSN.ca staff (2011-09-23). "Simmonds Ready to Move On from Ugly Incident in London". The Sports Network. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=376516. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
- ^ Kimelman, Adam (2011-09-28). "Suspect charged in banana-throwing incident". http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=590230. Retrieved 2011-12-30.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wayne Simmonds |
- 1988 births
- Black Canadian sportspeople
- Canadian ice hockey left wingers
- Ice hockey people from Ontario
- Ice hockey players of Black African descent
- Living people
- Los Angeles Kings draft picks
- Los Angeles Kings players
- Owen Sound Attack alumni
- People from Scarborough, Ontario
- People of Black Nova Scotian descent
- Philadelphia Flyers players
- Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds alumni
- Sportspeople from Toronto
