One of the Philadelphia Flyers’ most beloved former players is making a return — but not to score goals.
Longtime Flyers winger and 2017 All-Star Game MVP Wayne Simmonds has joined the club’s front office as Community Relations Ambassador & Hockey Operations Consultant, general manager Daniel Briere announced Friday.
Simmonds, now 36, spent eight seasons playing for the Flyers. He announced his retirement in March and retired as a Flyer after signing a one-day contract with the club in April.
Known as an elite netfront presence and one of the NHL’s toughest players during his playing days, Simmonds logged 203 goals and 378 points in 584 games as a member of the Flyers. He was awarded the Bobby Clarke Trophy as Flyers MVP after the 2016-17 season and in 2019 received the NHL’s Mark Messier Leadership Award.
Revered for his leadership both on and off the ice, Simmonds makes for a good fit in his new roles.
Simmonds isn’t the only former Flyer joining the club’s front office. Reid Simpson, selected by the Flyers in the fourth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, was also hired as the Director of European Pro Scouting. Simpson made his NHL debut — his only regular-season appearance with the Flyers — during the 1991-92 season. He played a total of 301 NHL games, logging 18 goals, 36 assists and 838 penalty minutes.
Several others are joining the Flyers’ front office along with Simmonds and Simpson:
- Kedryn Orrison-Pilgrim: Head Athletic Trainer, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Lindsay Eastwood: Manager of Player & Hockey Communications
- Ryan Cyr: Goaltending Scout & Development Consultant
- Oleg Znarok: European Player Development & Scouting Consultant
- Ellyse Robert: Hockey Analyst
Each of the Flyers’ new front office members will hit the ground running with the club’s regular-season opener in Vancouver less than a month away.
