Wayne Simmonds went into the 2023-24 season as an unrestricted free agent after playing more than 1000 regular season games in the NHL. The 35 year old had always been considered a locker room leader, and a guy you didn't mess with unless you were willing to back it up. Now, Simmonds says he's happy where he is in life, and his career is done.
In a recent interview dealing with the Hockey Diversity Alliance, Simmonds told Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press that he's retired, even though he hasn't made an official announcement.
Simmonds is best known as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, where he cemented his role as a gritty player who could also put up 50 to 60 points per season. That said, he was thrilled to be a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final three years of his career. Unfortunately, it didn't go well, as Simmonds' offensive ability had taken a big drop, and he spent many games as a healthy scratch in 2022-23. Still. he's very grateful for the opportunity.
Simmonds ends his hockey career having won gold at the World Juniors with Team Canada, as well as being an NHL All-Star in 2017. In 1037 regular season NHL games, he racked up 263 goals and 263 assists for 526 points. Simmonds will be remembered as a fierce competitor and a highly-respected player around the league.
