Former NHL winger Chris Simon has died at age 52. His family confirmed that he committed suicide in a statement issued Tuesday night.
“The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand that Chris fought immensely against CTE, which unfortunately resulted in his death,” said the statement, provided by Simon's former agent, Paul Theofanous, on behalf of Simon's family. Simon.
“We are mourning the loss of our son, brother, father, partner, teammate and friend. The entire Wawa community shares our grief. We will not reveal any further details at this time and ask for privacy during this very difficult time. We appreciate to all who share our tragic loss.
Simon was known for his physicality in a career that saw him play for seven franchises. A member of the Quebec Nordiques, he was part of the team that moved to Denver and helped the Avalanche win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history during the 1995-96 season.
“Chris was a great guy, a beloved teammate and an important part of our first championship season,” Avalanche president Joe Sakic said in a statement. “He was a really good hockey player who could score goals, had a great presence in the locker room and was the first person to stand up and defend his teammates. Off the ice he was an amazing guy and a loving father, son and brother . “And friend. “We will miss him deeply.”
The Islanders posted on social media that Simon “embodies what it means to be an Islander, someone who wears his heart on his sleeve both on the ice and in the community.”
From the NHL Alumni Association social media: “Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates and played a key role in the locker room. He was a dear friend, father, brother and son.”
The NHL called Simon a “fierce competitor and teammate” and expressed its condolences in a statement Tuesday.
Simon spent most of his career with the Washington Capitals and scored a career-high 29 goals and 49 points during the 1999-2000 season. He would also play for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Islanders and Minnesota Wild throughout his career.
“Chris Simon was definitely an intimidating guy on the ice,” former teammate Mike Commodore posted on social media. “We spent a lot of time together during Flames '04 as we both lived at the hotel… He couldn't have been nicer to me. RIP Chris. You will be missed.”
Simon last played in the NHL in the 2007-08 season before spending the next five seasons playing in the KHL in Russia, where he became a two-time All-Star.
Simon finished his NHL career with 1,824 penalty minutes and 305 points in 864 games.
