Wayne Simmonds
Coming off an extremely tumultuous season after inking a lucrative one-year, $5 million contract with the New Jersey Devils last offseason, Wayne Simmonds could not find a steady fitting at any point during the 2019-20 season.
Ever since the Scarborough, Ontario native was dealt away from the Philadelphia Flyers in the middle of the 2018-19 season, Simmonds has been a shell of his former self. In his prime, Simmonds was the perfect model of an NHL power forward.
Registering at least 24 goals in every season from 2013-14 to 2017-18, Simmonds was an unstoppable force in the offensive zone. His best season came in the 2015-16 season, where Simmonds finished with 32 goals, 60 points, and 192 hits (stats hockeydb.com).
Injuries have derailed the last couple of seasons for Simmonds, which remains a large concern of Dubas being too aggressive and striking early on a deal with the ex-free agent. After all, Kyle Clifford, who was the bottom-six, gritty forward on the Leafs roster last season, only managed to ink a two-year, $1 million AAV with the St. Louis Blues.
However, the hope is there Simmonds will return rejuvenated and will be able to find his former glory playing in front of his hometown crowd.
Having not played a single minute of NHL hockey in over 8 months and likely going another six weeks with no game action, Simmonds has been given the gift of time and rest. Time to rehab his nagging injuries, train to get stronger, and rest his body to be ready for the 2020-21 season.