Wayne Simmonds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wayne Simmonds
Simmonds with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012
Born	(1988-08-26) August 26, 1988 (age 36) Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Los Angeles Kings Philadelphia Flyers HC Bílí Tygři Liberec Nashville Predators New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Toronto Maple Leafs
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	61st overall, 2007 Los Angeles Kings
Playing career	2008–2023

Wayne Simmonds (born August 26, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was a right winger known for his strong play. Wayne played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for many teams. These included the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. His career lasted from 2008 to 2023. Fans and teammates gave him the nickname "Wayne Train" because of his powerful style.

Growing Up and Early Hockey

Wayne Simmonds was born and grew up in Scarborough, a part of Toronto, Ontario. He was one of four sons in his family. His parents were Cyril Simmonds and Wanda Mercury-Simmonds. Even though he lived near Toronto, Wayne was a big fan of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. His favorite player when he was young was Sergei Fedorov.

When Wayne was in third grade, he wrote a school report about wanting to be a professional hockey player. His teacher was not very encouraging, but Wayne did not give up on his dream.

Wayne played most of his early hockey in Toronto. He played for teams like the Minor Midget Toronto Aces. Later, he joined the Toronto Jr. Canadiens midgets. This was his first time playing at the highest level for young players.

Wayne's Hockey Journey

Amateur Hockey Years

After being noticed at a big tournament in 2005, Wayne Simmonds joined the Brockville Braves. This was a junior hockey team. He played for them in the 2005–06 season.

Wayne was not chosen in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Draft at first. But two years later, when he was 18, the Owen Sound Attack picked him. He was chosen in the sixth round of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection.

Wayne played two seasons in the OHL from 2006 to 2008. He played for the Owen Sound Attack and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He also played for Team Canada in the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. While playing for the Jr. Canadiens, Wayne became good friends with another player, Chris Stewart. They later bought a house together in Toronto.

Becoming a Pro Player

Playing for the Los Angeles Kings

Simmonds with the Los Angeles Kings in 2008

Wayne Simmonds shoots with his right hand. The Los Angeles Kings drafted him in 2007. He was the 61st player chosen overall. Wayne was one of only three new players to make the Kings' team for the 2008–09 season. On October 14, 2008, in only his third NHL game, Wayne scored his first goal. He shot a rebound past the goalie of the Anaheim Ducks. During his first season, Kings fans loved Wayne for how hard he worked. He said his parents taught him to work hard.

In his second NHL season, Wayne wanted to score more points. He had a great pre-season, scoring many goals. He ended up with 40 points in the 2009–10 season. This was almost double his points from the year before. He also played a lot when his team was short a player, helping to stop the other team from scoring.

Time with the Philadelphia Flyers

On June 23, 2011, Wayne Simmonds was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. He joined the Flyers along with Brayden Schenn. In return, the Kings received Mike Richards. Wayne then signed a two-year contract with the Flyers.

Simmonds during his first season with the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2011

On September 22, 2011, during a pre-season game, something upsetting happened. While Wayne was taking a shootout shot, someone threw a banana onto the ice. This was seen as a very disrespectful act. The next day, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke about it. He said that the action was "stupid and ignorant" and did not represent most fans. The person who threw the banana later admitted to a minor offense and was fined.

Wayne achieved a special hockey feat called a Gordie Howe hat trick on February 11, 2012. This means he scored a goal, got an assist, and had a fight in the same game. On March 30, 2012, Wayne scored a goal when the puck bounced off his forehead and into the net. He was given credit for the goal.

On August 15, 2012, the Flyers signed Wayne to a six-year contract extension.

During a time when NHL games were paused in 2012–13, Wayne played in Europe. He played for teams in Germany and the Czech Republic. In a game in the Czech Republic, some fans made disrespectful sounds towards Wayne. The team quickly apologized to Wayne. They also found the fans involved and banned them from future games.

Wayne had another Gordie Howe hat trick on February 20, 2013. He scored a goal, an assist, and fought a player from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just a few days later, on February 23, he got another Gordie Howe hat trick against the Winnipeg Jets.

Wayne scored 29 goals and had 31 assists in the 2013–14 season. This was a career high of 60 points. He matched this record in the 2015–16 season. Wayne was also known for his physical play. He led the Flyers in penalty minutes in 2015–16.

Wayne represented the Flyers in the 2017 NHL All-Star Game. He was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the game. He scored three goals, including the winning goal in the final game.

During the 2017–18 season, Wayne played with many injuries. He had a torn pelvis area, a torn groin, a fractured ankle, a torn thumb ligament, and a busted jaw. Even with all these injuries, he still scored over 40 points that season. He was nominated for the Mark Messier Leadership Award for his leadership.

Moving to Other Teams

On February 25, 2019, the Flyers traded Wayne to the Nashville Predators. He played 17 regular season games with Nashville. He then joined them for the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. He was injured in a playoff game when a teammate's shot hit his knee. The Predators lost their playoff series. Between Philadelphia and Nashville, Wayne scored 17 goals and 30 points in 79 games. He also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2019 for his leadership on and off the ice.

On July 1, 2019, the New Jersey Devils signed Wayne as a free agent. He signed a one-year contract. Wayne played against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, on October 9, 2019. Flyers fans gave him a warm welcome at first. He played 61 games for the Devils, scoring eight goals and 16 assists.

Wayne was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on February 24, 2020. He played only seven games with Buffalo before the season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He recorded one assist in those games.

On October 9, 2020, Wayne signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He chose to play for his hometown team, even turning down a higher offer from another team. He started the 2020–21 season well, scoring five goals in his first 12 games. However, he fractured his wrist in February. After missing 18 games, he returned in March. His scoring did not return to the same level after his injury. The Maple Leafs made the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs but lost in the first round.

Wayne signed a two-year contract extension with Toronto on June 29, 2021. On March 5, 2022, Wayne played his 1,000th NHL game. This is a big milestone for a hockey player. He was also nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership. In the 2022–23 season, Wayne played in only 18 games for Toronto. He was sometimes not chosen to play or was sent to the minor league team due to injuries.

Retirement from Hockey

On March 18, 2024, Wayne Simmonds announced that he was retiring from professional ice hockey. On April 12, he signed a special one-day contract to officially retire as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Simmonds with the Kings in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver	2017 Germany/France
World Junior Championships
Gold	2008 Czech Republic

International Play

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada	WJC			7	1	0	1	4
2013	Canada	WC	5th		8	1	0	1	2
2017	Canada	WC			10	0	2	2	4
Junior totals					7	1	0	1	4
Senior totals					18	1	2	3	6

Awards and Honors