Sad news out of the NHL world Tuesday, as former enforcer Chris Simon passed away at the age of 52.
The Washington Capitals, one of seven teams Simon spent time with during his 15-year NHL career, issued a statement which can be read below.
“The Washington Capitals are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Chris Simon. Chris was a fixture in Washington for parts of seven seasons and was an integral member of the 1998 team that reached the first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history. Our entire organization extends our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
The Quebec Nordiques drafted Simon in the second round of the 1990 NHL Draft, and he spent his first six career seasons with the team, ending with a 1996 Stanley Cup victory in their first season as the Colorado Avalanche.
Simon then joined the Capitals where he remained until 2002. He spent the next few seasons bouncing between the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, and New York Islanders before his NHL career came to an end after the 2007-08 season.
Simon’s aggressive style of play led to eight suspensions totaling over 60 games throughout his time in the NHL, including a 30-game suspension in 2007 following an incident with Pittsburgh Penguins player Jarkko Ruutu. The 30-game suspension is the third-longest in NHL history.
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