Chronic traumatic encephalopathy linked to early deaths through repeated head trauma
WAWA—While he was imposing, standing at 6’3” and 232 pounds, former National Hockey League (NHL) player Chris ‘Naanoongshkaahs’ Simon, who was born in Wawa, but has strong family ties to Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory was known by friends, coaches and friends to be the kind of guy who was soft-spoken and always wanting to help others.
As Ted Nolan, Mr. Simon’s coach while he was a member of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (and later as a member of the New York Islanders of the NHL) described him, “he was a great big teddy bear.”
Mr. Simon took his own life at the age of 52 on Monday, March 18 in his hometown of Wawa. His family released a statement through his former agent Paul Theofanous on his passing: “The family strongly believes and witnessed firsthand that Chris struggled immensely from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) which unfortunately resulted in his death. We are grieving the loss of our son, brother, father, partner, teammate and friend. The entire Wawa community is sharing in our grief. We will not be releasing any further details at this time and ask for privacy during this very difficult time. We appreciate everyone who shares in our tragic loss.”
Ryan Smitherman reported in Maple Leafs Daily, “Unfortunately, the effects from CTE caused Simon to continuously deal with anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression following his career, which, according to his family, had ultimately led to him unfortunately (passing on). Further rumours have mentioned that Mr. Simon may have been on disability and social assistance at the time of his passing, which shows how big of an impact that CTE can have on a player’s ability to care for himself, even after a lengthy NHL career.”
Mr. Simon, who was of Ojibwe heritage and proud of his Indigenous roots, played in over 800 NHL games over 15 seasons, registered 144 goals, including a career-high 29 with Washington in 1999-2000, to go along with 161 assists for 305 points. He added 10 goals, 17 points and 194 penalty minutes in 75 NHL playoff games. He helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and reached the 1998 Stanley Cup final with Washington as well as the 2004 Stanley Cup final with Calgary. He played parts of five seasons in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League after his final NHL stop with Minnesota in 2007-2008.
Mr. Simon was also known as an enforcer and had 1,824 penalty minutes over the course of his career.
Melanie Pilon, mayor of Wawa, who is a member of the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and was voted in as Canada’s first Indigenous mayor, also had familial ties to Chris Simon. “I was part of his extended family,” she said. “Chris’s grandfather Max Simon and my grandmother Violet Overton were cousins. They were part of the Mishibinijima family.”
“Chris was living in Wawa,” said Mayor Pilon, noting he had five children. “He had a very large extended family. It’s very shocking, he meant so much to his family and he meant so much to the community and especially to Indigenous youth. He worked with the Wawa Minor Hockey Association and had a special place in the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre. He was very gracious with his time, and he hosted several coaches clinics for local youth. And it was certainly not outside of his character to go into schools and speak to youth.”
“No, I didn’t know Chris really well, but any time I had the opportunity to speak to him he was a really nice person,” said Mayor Pilon. “He would talk to people at the boat launch when he went fishing and always had a smile and encouraging word for everyone in the community wherever he went.”
“He lived his life and worked hard and shared his dreams and passions,” said Mayor Pilon. “He was the dream; he instilled the dream in youth and adults that if he could achieve his dreams, we all could as well. Hope is contagious.”
“His death is shocking,” Mayor Pilon added.
Mayor Pilon, in speaking to Mr. Simon’s immediate family said, “They wanted me to spread the message from the family that he had suffered greatly from the symptoms of CTE with repeated concussions he sustained. They ask for everyone’s love and prayers for him to reach the spirit world and they encouraged all those who are suffering to know they don’t have to suffer alone, that they need to reach out for help.”
Marvin Assinewai of Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK), past president of and executive member of Little Native Hockey League said, “I’ve known Chris for many years, at first mostly from his days playing in the OHL in the Sault. I know his parents and grandparents a lot more. But I got to know him a lot better as time went on.”
“I remember when he was playing for Washington one year and he was injured and couldn’t play,” said Mr. Assinewai. “I sent their general manager George McPhee a note asking if he would allow Chris to come to the LNHL, and he did. Oh yeah, he was totally swamped by the kids. They loved him. The Capitals had given me permission to duplicate one of his pictures and we were handing them out to all the kids at the LNHL. He was signing his autograph on these pictures steady for three days.”
“And when he was home in Wawa and if I had a meeting in Thunder Bay, I would always give him a call and stop in. Especially when his playing days in the NHL and KHL were over. All he talked about was fishing and hunting,” quipped Mr. Assinewai.
“Chico (Ralf, president of the LNHL) and I were planning to go up to Wawa and fish with him this spring/summer,” said Mr. Assinewai. “I tried to get in touch with him before the LNHL this year, but every time I called him I got a hold of his sister or uncle. They both got back to me on what had unfortunately happened. He was a great guy and will be missed.”
“Dan Simon, who lives on the Island, is his uncle,” Mr. Assinewai continued. “I played hockey with Dan and John Simon, Chris’s dad. John was also a helluva player.” He pointed out Chris Simon was inducted into the LNHL hall of fame in 2016.
Former NHL player Reggie Leach, who now lives in Aundeck Omni Kaning, said he didn’t know Mr. Simon during his career, “but we became friends when we did stuff for the LNHL. And I saw him a lot in rinks. He was also part of the First Nation Alumni Hockey team. We worked on a lot of things together over the years involving hockey.”
“It was a shock to hear of his passing, he was such a young man,” said Mr. Leach. “It is a great loss. He worked a lot with First Nation youth over the years.”
“Oh my, yes he was a really nice guy,” stated Mr. Leach. “Chris was very kind and respectful. We are all going to miss Chris.”
“I know the whole Simon family,” said Patrick Madahbee, of AOK, an executive member of the LNHL. “Chris’s grandfather Max was a legend in this area when he played hockey in the 1950-1960s. And his father John was an awesome hockey player and should have been in the NHL.”
“He belonged to a very tight knit family, and even though he lived in Wawa he was very proud of his heritage and his family here with lots of familial ties to Wiikwemkoong,” said Mr. Madahbee, who has the on-ice name of “Mad Dog.” “Guys like Chris and Stan Jonathon, they are heroes to all our youth.”
“What a sad story to hear about his passing, that was a tough one,” said Gerard Peltier of Wiikwemkoong, who played in the OHL in the 1980s, helping to win the Memorial Cup with the Cornwall Royals. “I knew Chris. Years ago, we had a hockey clinic in M’Chigeeng with myself Owen Nolan, Chris and others.”
“It is very sad to see him go, especially as a young man and to leave a family,” said Mr. Peltier.
Mr. Nolan explained, “I first knew of Chris when he was playing bantam hockey and was drafted into the OHL. He played for Ottawa (in the 1991-1992 season) and I was coaching the Soo Greyhounds and was asked by our general manager Sherry Bassin about trying to get Chris to the Sault. Sherry said that Chris had some issues, but I immediately said ‘yes, get him for our team.’ He turned that franchise around that year. This was the second year that we made it to the Memorial Cup. With Chris around, when we were playing road games, even our small guys seemed to grow about four inches taller and gain 25 pounds. He made a world of difference for that team in 1992.”
“He was a great player, he could score, skate and played with a lot of heart,” said Mr. Nolan. “But I still remember when he first got to the Sault he was still misbehaving and missing curfew. One of our staff members said we should get rid of him. I said no one is perfect and we have to work with him. I was tougher on him that most of the other players. His teammates loved him. I even had to suspend him at one point. Then one day I took him to the bus station and said ‘I will buy you a ticket to Wawa if you don’t want to behave and play here, I will understand if you want to go back to Wawa.’ Thank goodness he changed his life and stopped misbehaving, going to school regularly and working even harder as a player.”
“Chris was my favourite player because of what he had to overcome and becoming the player that we all thought he could be,” said Mr. Nolan. “I talk a lot about perseverance, and he was the perfect example of that. A number of years later he won the Stanley Cup and took the cup back home to Wawa.”
Later in his NHL career, Mr. Simon played for the New York Islanders with Mr. Nolan as coach. He had signed as a free agent. “He also had everything you needed to play, he had size and skill, could skate and shoot the shoot the puck and score.”
“When we got him in the Sault I know we won some games before they even started because the other team was afraid of that train coming at them down the wing,” quipped Mr. Nolan.”
The coach and player kept in regular touch. “He will be missed. He had a heart of gold.”
Mike Commodore, who played with Mr. Simon in Calgary posted online, “an intimidating guy on the ice…hell of a player as well. He couldn’t have been nicer to me. RIP Chris. You will be missed.”
“Chris was a great guy, a beloved teammate and an important part of our first championship season,” said Colorado Avalanche president and former teammate of Mr. Simon, Joe Sakic, in a statement. “He was a really good hockey player who could score goals, was a big presence in the dressing room and was the first person to stand up and defend his teammates. Off the ice he was an unbelievable guy and a caring father, son, brother and friend. He will be sorely missed.”
As previously mentioned, in 2016 Mr. Simon was inducted into the LNHL in the alumni category as he had participated in the tournament during his youth, advanced to play hockey at a higher calibre and was instrumental in advocating for hockey development in their communities and continued to support participating in the LNHL.
Chris Simon gave back to and supported Anishinaabe communities and initiatives in many ways, including charities such as the Anishinabek Nation 7th Generation Charity where he joined Mr. Leach and participated in the annual Anishinabek veterans memorial golf tournament.
A post on the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory Facebook site March 21 states, “to the family of Chris Simon, his friends, community and his hockey fans: Wiikwemkoong offers its deepest condolences. Miigwech, Creator for allowing us this talented and gifted spirit to walk with us on Mother Earth. May his memory be a comfort and blessing to all.”
Wiikwemkoong Tourism posted, “Our community is saddened to hear the passing of former NHLer Chris Simon. Chris is a local hockey hero with deep family roots in Wiikwemkoong. His grandfather Maxi baa was also a very talented player who would light up the local arenas across the North Shore and Manitoulin Island. In the 1990s Chris led a hockey school on Manitoulin Island with a group of NHLers, including the likes of Owen Nolan. The program inspired young Anishinaabe youth to follow their dreams and taught them to be leaders on and off the ice. We salute one of the toughest hockey players and fiercest warriors to come from Anishinaabe country. Baa maa pii miinwaa (we will see you again)!”
Chris ‘Naanoongshkaahs’ Simon’s funeral will be held today, Wednesday, March 27 at 11 am at the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre, 3 Chris Simon Drive, in Wawa. The funeral will also be broadcast live online. A large contingent of Wiikwemkoong family and friends plan to attend.
