Philadelphia Flyers hire 1000-game NHL veteran to front office position
Photo credit: NHL
The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have hired Wayne Simmonds to join their front office in a community outreach role, in addition to several other moves.
NBC Sports journalist Jordan Hall, known for his coverage of Philadelphia area sports, shared the news on X shortly after the team made the announcement. Not only did the team bring their former forward back, but they also announced several additional moves, including a promotion for scout Reid Simpson, who will now be the director of European scouting, and Lindsey Eastwood, who will take over team communications.
Simmonds had a long career in the NHL as a player and was always one of the most respected men in the league. He always has a good attitude and demeanor, which has made him a fan favorite just about everywhere he went, even when he didn't stay for long. A great example of this is his time in Toronto, where he became a fan-favorite despite being well past his prime at that point. In fact, he spent most nights in his final years either as a healthy scratch or in the AHL. He never complained though, which is part of why everyone seems to love him.
While the veteran forward played in games for six different clubs in his career, more than half of his regular-season appearances came with the Flyers where he spent the majority of his prime years. As such, it is not surprising to see him re-join the team now that his playing days are officially over. In their press release, the Flyers highlighted the best moments of his career.
Wayne Simmonds joins the Flyers' staff for the first time since his playing career, having skated in eight of his 15 NHL seasons with Philadelphia (2011-19). During his time with the Flyers, the Scarborough, Ontario native tallied 378 points (203g-175a), including 91 power-play goals, 34 game-winning goals, and 786 penalty minutes in 584 games. Simmonds had two standout seasons with 60 points each in 2013-14 and 2015-16 and led the team with a career-high 32 goals in the latter. He also recorded 15 points in 30 playoff games with the Flyers.
This very well could be a stepping stone for Simmonds as he seeks to continue making a living in the sport he loves so much. Perhaps we will even see him take over the entire organization as GM one day.
| POLL | ||
13 SEPTEMBRE | 26 ANSWERS Philadelphia Flyers hire 1000-game NHL veteran to front office position Do you think Wayne Simmonds will eventually become a general manager in the National Hockey League? | ||
| Yes | 11 | 42.3 % |
| No | 15 | 57.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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