The New Jersey Devils signed right winger Wayne Simmonds of Scarborough, Ontario to a one year contract worth $5 million on Monday. Simmonds shared the 2018-19 National Hockey League season with the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators where he had 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points in 79 games.
Simmonds was also a -16 with 99 penalty minutes, eight power play points, two game winning goals, 157 shots on goal, four faceoff wins, 28 blocked shots, 137 hits, 27 takeaways and 38 giveaways. At the NHL Awards, Simmonds won the 2019 Mark Messier Award for leadership and community service.
The Devils become Simmonds’ fourth NHL team. In addition to the Flyers and Predators, Simmonds also played for the Los Angeles Kings.
Meanwhile, two other Canadian forwards signed significant contracts on Monday. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed left winger Brandon Tanev of Toronto, Ontario to a six year contract worth $21 million from the Winnipeg Jets and the Florida Panthers signed right winger Brett Connolly of Campbell River, British Columbia to a four year contract worth $13 million from the Washington Capitals.
Both Tanev and Connolly had career seasons in 2018-19. Tanev has played his entire career with the Jets. In 80 games last season, he had 14 goals, 15 assists for 29 points, was a +9 with 41 penalty minutes, three shorthanded points, 127 shots on goal, three faceoff wins, 81 blocked shots, 278 hits, 22 takeaways and 18 giveaways.
The Panthers will become Connolly’s fourth NHL team. In addition to the Capitals, Connolly has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. In 81 games with the Capitals, Connolly had 22 goals and 24 assists for 46 points. He was a +13 with 24 penalty minutes, two power play points, five game winning goals, 139 shots on goal, nine faceoff wins, 25 blocked shots, 53 hits, 33 takeaways and 25 giveaways. Connolly also won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.
