When you think of what it would take to play in the Russian Super league, if you ever do, what do you think of?You probably consider skill, speed, puck-handling, and smarts as essential elements needed to play in one of the world's best hockey leagues.
Chris Simon possesses none of these skills, which makes him signing with a Russian Super league team very strange, indeed.
Chris Simon's tumultuous National Hockey League career may have officially come to an end on Saturday when he signed a contract with Vityaz Chekhov of the Continental Hockey League in Russia, according to Russian media reports.
Simon, who has been suspended twice by the NHL in the past 15 months for a total of 55 games, finished the 2007-08 season with the Minnesota Wild. He scored one goal and added two assists in 38 NHL games split between the Wild and New York Islanders last season.
Fighting is not allowed in European leagues, which already negates Simon's #1 skill. With Simon's lack of foot-speed, you know he'll end up taking a lot of dumb fouls, which he's very good at, and hurt his team with many penalties to kill.
I know the Russian Super league loves to sign ex-NHLers, but why sign a 36-year old thug who has just 52 points in his last 177 games?
Well, at least we know the NHL will be thrilled to have the guy out of their hair.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-03-2008 @ 9:47PM
ranndino said...
Russian Super League had quite a few fights this past year including a massive brawl that made ESPN Sportscenter. Vityaz have already gained a reputation of being the Philadelphi Flyers of Russia, so the signing of Simon by them is not actually that surprising. Also, for a goon he used to be a pretty decent hockey player.
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