Ex-Leafs winger Wayne Simmonds lands new NHL gig

Wayne Simmonds closed out his playing days with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he’s back in the NHL once again with a new gig.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Friday afternoon that Simmonds had joined the organization as a Community Relations Ambassador and Hockey Operations Consultant.

Simmonds revealed to The Canadian Press’ Josh Clipperton in January that he was retired from his playing days, but it seems like he’s landed himself in an organization where he spent a good chunk of his career.

Simmonds made his retirement official in March, signing a one-day deal with the Flyers.

“It’s hard to describe my emotions on a day like this, but one of my very first thoughts as I look back is my life in Philadelphia and playing for the Flyers,” said Simmonds at the time. “Taking the ice in a Flyers sweater is a special feeling, and it’s one that I’m truly proud of. The history of this franchise and standard of being a Flyer that was set is unique and one that I hold in the highest regard. Perhaps the biggest reason for that is the way the fans embrace this team. It was a thrill to play for you all these years, and you mean so much to me.”

Simmonds last played for the Leafs on April 8, 2023, in their final regular season game and did not appear in the team’s postseason at all.

Simmonds had 263 goals and 263 assists in 1,037 games over the course of his career. He also played for the Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils before signing with Toronto as a free agent in 2020.

He hit the 30-goal mark twice in his career while scoring upwards of 25 goals on five separate occasions. In 2018-19, he collected the lone individual award of his NHL career, being named the recipient of the NHL’s Mark Messier Leadership Award.

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