Former NHLer Chris Simon dead at 52

Former NHLer Chris Simon has died, the NHL Players’ Association has confirmed to Sportsnet. Simon passed away Tuesday night. He was 52.

Simon played with seven NHL franchises. He was drafted 25th overall by Philadelphia in 1990 out of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, but never played a game for the Flyers. Instead, he was included in the Eric Lindros trade along with five other players and two draft picks to the Quebec Nordiques.

“His children and family are grieving the sudden loss of their father, son, brother, friend and teammate,” the NHLPA said in an email. ​

Simon, from Wawa, Ont., started with the Nordiques in 1992 before moving with the franchise to Colorado. In 1996 he was traded to the Capitals, where he spent seven seasons. He later played with the Blackhawks, Rangers, Flames, Islanders and Wild. In 2008 he left to play in Russia’s KHL, where he spent five seasons.

A noted fighter, Simon accumulated 1,824 minutes in penalties during his 782 NHL-game career. He had 144 goals and 161 assists during that span.

Simon, who was Ojibwe and a member of the Michipicoten First Nation near Wawa, won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1995.