Chris Simon, a 15-year NHL veteran and former player for the Minnesota Wild, passed away on Monday. He was fifty-two. According to the NHL Players’ Association, the former NHL enforcer passed away on Monday night in his hometown of Wawa, Ontario. As of Tuesday night, the cause of death was not disclosed.
During the 2007–08 season, Simon played a portion of his final season with the Wild as they earned their first Northwest Division championship. In just ten games that season, Simon failed to score a point.
In the 1995–96 campaign, Simon contributed to the Colorado Avalanche’s first Stanley Cup victory. In the second round of the 1990 draft, the Philadelphia Flyers selected him. He also played for the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, and Quebec Nordiques.
“Chris was a vital member of the locker room who was never scared to defend his teammates. On social media, the NHL Alumni Association said, “He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son.”