NHL forward Chris Simon died Monday night. He was 52. "He was an unbelievable guy and a caring father, son, brother and friend. He will be sorely missed."
Former Stanley Cup Champion Chris Simon died on Monday night, the Colorado Avalanche and NHL Alumni Association announced.
He was 52. The cause of death has not been announced. The family has asked to respect their privacy during this time, the alumni association said in a post on social media.
"Chris was a great guy, a beloved teammate and an important part of our first championship season," Avalanche president and former teammate of Simon, Joe Sakic, said in a statement. "He was a really good hockey player who could score goals, was a big presence in the dressing room and was the first person to stand up and defend his teammates.
"Off the ice, he was an unbelievable guy and a caring father, son, brother and friend. He will be sorely missed."
Simon, who is of Ojibwe heritage, played 782 NHL games for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild. In total, he amassed 144 goals, 161 assists, 305 points and 1,824 penalty minutes. He recorded more than 100 penalty minutes in nine seasons, including 250 in 1995-96 and 225 in 2003-04.
Following four seasons in the OHL with the Ottawa 67's and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Simon was drafted 25th overall in 1990 by the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers then traded Simon to the Nordiques as part of the move for first overall pick Eric Lindros.
When the Nordiques relocated to Colorado, Simon scored 34 points in 64 games and played in 12 playoff games, helping the franchise capture its first Stanley Cup championship.
The 6-foot-3, 232-pound forward from Wawa, Ont., also advanced to the Cup final with the Capitals in 1998 and the Flames in 2004. Simon played a notable role in the Flames' Cup pursuit with five goals and seven points in 16 games, including one game-winning goal and five power-play points.
Over his career, the NHL suspended Simon eight times, including a 25-game suspension in 2006-07 for swinging his stick at New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg and a 30-game suspension for stomping on the leg of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jarkko Ruutu the following season.
After last playing in the NHL with the Wild in 2007-08, Simon played five seasons in the KHL until 2012-13.
From The Hockey News' team sites:
Colorado Avalanche: Former Avalanche forward Chris Simon dead at age 52
New York Islanders: Former Islanders Forward Chris Simon Has Passed Away At 52