They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try.
And so, coming off the worst statistical season of his career, Wayne Simmonds approached the summer a little differently than he has in past years. He worked with a power skating coach to improve his edge work and speed. He worked with another coach to help improve his shot and his stick handling. And another to learn new and creative ways to take the puck to the net.
“Reinvent is definitely the right word,” said the 34-year-old. “I’m not the same player I was, obviously, but there’s still a lot I have to give. I have a big heart and I’m going to give it my all, no matter what.”
Of course, if Simmonds really wanted to reinvent himself, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward should have enrolled in some public speaking or leadership courses.
After all, there might not be a spot open on one of the top-two lines for a past-his-prime veteran like Simmonds. But with Jason Spezza hanging up his skates and accepting a job in management, there is suddenly a need for a player who has 1,000-plus games under his belt who can act as a liaison between the players and the head coach. Someone who can stand up and give a pep talk in the middle of the dressing room when the situation warrants it and whose work ethic can be a positive role model to the younger players, both on and off the ice.
It’s a role that Simmonds — along with 38-year-old defenceman Mark Giordano — is embracing in what very well could be his final year in the NHL.
“There’s still room for veterans in this league,” said Simmonds. “Spezza is the shining example. He came from Dallas and he had a lot of game left, but he also knew that he wasn’t going to be a top guy anymore because of his age. But he still gave everything he had on the ice and off the ice.
“I think it’s important to hold on to a couple of older guys. You still need that influence in the dressing room. I just think they take it better from a guy who’s spent that much time in the league rather than a coach.”
Of course, it’s also difficult to speak up when you’re not playing up to your potential. That’s why Simmonds sought the help of so many skills coaches this summer. He knows that last season wasn’t his best. That he has more to give and more to prove. But he also knows that he’s in a different position than in previous years.
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Though Simmonds only had five goals and 16 points in 72 games, keep in mind that he was also averaging less than 10 minutes per game in a fourth-line role. That was half the ice time he had been averaging in 2017-18, when he scored 24 goals with the Philadelphia Flyers. In the four years since then, he’s bounced between four different teams, while transitioning from a top-six forward to a bottom-six winger who is valued more for his physicality than offensive skills.
On a team that is not necessarily known for its toughness, Simmonds’ willingness to drop the gloves is a big part of what makes him so valuable.
Last year, he led the Leafs with six fights — no one else on the team had more than three — while racking up a team-high 96 penalty minutes and a team-high 148 hits.
“Trust me, that’s never going to leave my game. I figure that’s going to keep me in the league,” said Simmonds, who will be battling for ice time with Kyle Clifford, as well as newcomers Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Adam Gaudette. “I think that’s that whole goal here. Me and Cliffy bring that in-your-face tenacity where we’re going to try to hurt you. It’s a mentality. We’re just trying to relay that to the other guys. It’s not all about fighting. It’s definitely not. I think when you speak to the guys you’ve got to let them know that you’ve got to be in the fight, no matter what. You’ve got to be willing to take a hit, to block a shot, to do all those dirty things.”
Not that Simmonds can’t do the prettier stuff as well. Like Spezza, he still has an ability to find the back of the net when the need arises. It’s just not as common as it once was.
“I used to play on the power play and score 15-17 power play goals a year. Now, I’m not that,” he said. “I’m a fourth liner and I know I have to go out there and be physical and bring what I need to bring to help the other guys be successful. That’s all I’m trying to do right now, while also working on my talents.”
As for the team and getting over the first-round hump, Simmonds believes it will come. After all, he’s not the only guy who is older this year.
“Hopefully, it benefits us,” Simmonds said of the Leafs not being so young anymore. “If you look at all the other teams, like Tampa and Colorado and Washington, that went through what we’re going through now, they had great teams for a while and it took a maturation process for them to push through. I’m just excited to try and help this team anyway I can.”
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