#1. Wayne Simmonds, RW, Flyers, 2011-2019
For longtime Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds, this could be the end of the road. The 35-year-old has not scored double-digit goals since his last season in Orange and Black, and averaged a hair north of seven minutes of ice time for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
With his offensive production in a tailspin, ‘Simmer’ has been reduced to serving as an enforcer for one of hockey’s most successful teams over the last three years. Still, it is hard not to feel nostalgic about Simmonds’ glory days with the Flyers, which did not come to a close all that long ago.
Despite his advanced age and newly found niche as an NHLer, checking how much gas Simmonds has left in the tank could be worth the effort. Having played just 18 games in 2022-23, the 15-year NHL vet will not command much playing time and would be another great leader and protector to have around the Flyers’ young players. To put the icing on the cake, a Simmonds farewell tour in Philadelphia would be a feel-good moment for a team whose public sentiment has been in the dumps for a few years now.
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The former Flyers star would be the perfect player to help usher in the new era of hockey on Broad Street, and his retirement in Philadelphia is the ideal segue into the further integration of new prospects next year. For now though, let’s wait and see if Simmonds is still interested in continuing his hockey career.