Wayne Simmonds

 ( 1988 Births ) 

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. 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 plus-minus and saw substantive time as a member of the team's penalty killing unit. 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 wanted in return.

On September 22, 2011, during a pre-season game in London, Ontario, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Flyers, a banana was thrown onto the ice while Simmonds was making a shootout attempt. 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." Chris Moorhouse later pleaded guilty to engaging in a prohibited activity under the Ontario Trespass to Property Act and was fined $200, but did not need to appear in court.

Simmonds achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick in a 5–2 loss to the New York Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 11, 2012. On March 30, 2012, against the Ottawa Senators, Flyers center Brayden Schenn shot a puck which glanced off of Simmonds' forehead and into the net. Simmonds was credited with the goal.

On August 15, 2012, the Flyers signed Simmonds to a six-year extension worth an annual average value of approximately $4 million.

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Simmonds was playing with ETC Crimmitschau of the 2nd Bundesliga and HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga. In a game between Liberec and Piráti Chomutov in the Czech Extraliga, fans began a chant of " opice", a term which roughly translates to "monkey", towards Simmonds, after his involvement in a fight. Shortly after the game, Chomutov issued an apology to Simmonds and also announced the intent to identify the people involved and ban them from the venue. Eight of the offending fans were later identified and tried before a court. As a punishment, they were banned from visiting any sports matches for a year.

On February 20, 2013, Simmonds recorded another Gordie Howe hat trick in a 6–5 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Consol Energy Center when he scored a goal and an assist and fought Tanner Glass. Later that same week, on February 23, Simmonds recorded another Gordie Howe hat trick in a 5–3 home win against the Winnipeg Jets, fighting Chris Thorburn, assisting on the Flyers' first goal and scoring the game-winning goal.

Simmonds recorded 29 goals to go with 31 assists for a career high 60 points during the 2013–14 season. He later matched this career-high during the 2015–16 season. Simmonds has also gained a reputation for his physical play, leading the Flyers in penalty minutes in 2015–16 with 147. During a February 6 game against the New York Rangers, Simmonds received a game misconduct for punching Rangers' captain Ryan McDonagh with a gloved hand, but was not suspended by the league.

Simmonds represented Philadelphia in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game and was named the Game's MVP after scoring three goals, including the game-winner of the final game.

During the entire 2017–18 season, Simmonds played with a tear in his pelvis area, torn groin, fractured ankle, torn thumb ligament, and a busted jaw. Despite this long list of injuries, Simmonds was still able to break the 40-point mark on the season. He was nominated for the Mark Messier Leadership Award at the end of the season.

An impending free agent, Simmonds signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract extension with Toronto on June 29, 2021. On March 5, 2022, Simmonds played his 1,000th NHL game, on the same day as Seattle Kraken defenceman Mark Giordano's own 1,000th game, who would become his teammate several days later. On May 4, Simmonds was chosen as the Maple Leafs' nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership qualities on and off the ice. In the 2022–23 season with Toronto, Simmonds played in only 18 games, being a healthy scratch for several others, placed on waivers multiple times and demoted to the AHL with Toronto's affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, as injuries limited his ability. At the end of the season, Simmonds became an unrestricted free agent.