Charlie Simmer
Encyclopedia
Charles Robert Simmer is a retired ice hockey
forward
, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings
in the National Hockey League
, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.
that saw him score 99 points in his only season of 1973–74, Simmer was selected in the third round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
, 39th overall, by the California Golden Seals
of the NHL. He split his first three professional seasons between the Seals and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles
of the CHL, meeting success in the minors but receiving limited playing time in the NHL. The Seals relocated to Cleveland
in 1976, but Simmer received little more playing time.
He was traded in 1977 to the Los Angeles Kings
, but spent the season with the Springfield Indians
of the AHL
, winning All-Star accolades. The next season Simmer was promoted halfway through the campaign to the Kings, and scored 21 goals in 39 games.
While with the Kings, he played left wing on the "Triple Crown Line" with Marcel Dionne
and Dave Taylor
, one of the most potent and famed forward lines of the era. Despite injuries costing him significant playing time, Simmer had back-to-back 56-goal seasons and was further named an NHL First Team All-Star
in 1980 and 1981. In the latter season, Simmer almost accomplished one of hockey's most difficult feats: scoring 50 goals in 50 games
, with 50 in 51 games. That same season, Mike Bossy
became only the second player in NHL history to score 50 in 50. Simmer's scoring percentage of 32.75 in 1981 was, and remains, an NHL record.
Simmer was traded at the beginning of the 1985 season to the Boston Bruins
, where despite the cumulative effects of several injuries throughout his career, he starred for three more seasons. In 1986, Simmer won the Bill Masterton Trophy for his perseverance and dedication to hockey.
Simmer played his final NHL season for the Pittsburgh Penguins
in 1988. He subsequently played the 1989 season for Eintracht Frankfurt
in the German Bundesliga, and after a season off, parts of two seasons as a player-coach for the minor league San Diego Gulls before retiring.
He was formerly married to one-time Playboy
Playmate of the Year Terri Welles
; the couple had one daughter. Today, Simmer is a part-time color commentator for the Calgary Flames
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
, most notably for the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, who was notable for his scoring and power play prowess.
Playing career
After a junior career with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey AssociationOntario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
that saw him score 99 points in his only season of 1973–74, Simmer was selected in the third round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft
1974 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1974 NHL Amateur Draft was held via conference call at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec. In an effort to prevent the WHA from poaching players, the draft was conducted early and in secret. This failed to prevent tampering as information leaked out via agents and other sources over the three...
, 39th overall, by the California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals
The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of...
of the NHL. He split his first three professional seasons between the Seals and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994...
of the CHL, meeting success in the minors but receiving limited playing time in the NHL. The Seals relocated to Cleveland
Cleveland Barons (NHL)
The Cleveland Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1976–78. They were a relocation of the California Golden Seals franchise, which had played in Oakland since 1967...
in 1976, but Simmer received little more playing time.
He was traded in 1977 to the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, but spent the season with the Springfield Indians
Springfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, winning All-Star accolades. The next season Simmer was promoted halfway through the campaign to the Kings, and scored 21 goals in 39 games.
While with the Kings, he played left wing on the "Triple Crown Line" with Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
and Dave Taylor
Dave Taylor (hockey)
David Andrew Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Los Angeles Kings from 1977–94. He was previously the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006. Taylor currently is the Director of Player Personnel with the St...
, one of the most potent and famed forward lines of the era. Despite injuries costing him significant playing time, Simmer had back-to-back 56-goal seasons and was further named an NHL First Team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
in 1980 and 1981. In the latter season, Simmer almost accomplished one of hockey's most difficult feats: scoring 50 goals in 50 games
50 goals in 50 games
"50 goals in 50 games" refers to the act of scoring 50 goals in the first 50 games of a National Hockey League season. Scoring fifty goals in fifty games in the NHL is a rare achievement....
, with 50 in 51 games. That same season, Mike Bossy
Mike Bossy
Michael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
became only the second player in NHL history to score 50 in 50. Simmer's scoring percentage of 32.75 in 1981 was, and remains, an NHL record.
Simmer was traded at the beginning of the 1985 season to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, where despite the cumulative effects of several injuries throughout his career, he starred for three more seasons. In 1986, Simmer won the Bill Masterton Trophy for his perseverance and dedication to hockey.
Simmer played his final NHL season for the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in 1988. He subsequently played the 1989 season for Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
in the German Bundesliga, and after a season off, parts of two seasons as a player-coach for the minor league San Diego Gulls before retiring.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1971–72 | Kenora Muskies | MJHL | 45 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Kenora Muskies | MJHL | 48 | 43 | 68 | 111 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey... |
OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
70 | 45 | 54 | 99 | 137 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | California Golden Seals California Golden Seals The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League from 1967–76. Initially named California Seals, the team was renamed Oakland Seals part-way through the 1967–68 season, and then to California Golden Seals in 1970. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of... |
NHL | 35 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles Salt Lake Golden Eagles The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994... |
CHL | 47 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | CHL | 42 | 23 | 16 | 39 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Cleveland Barons Cleveland Barons (NHL) The Cleveland Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League from 1976–78. They were a relocation of the California Golden Seals franchise, which had played in Oakland since 1967... |
NHL | 24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | CHL | 51 | 32 | 30 | 62 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 1977–78 AHL season The 1977–78 AHL season was the 42nd season of the American Hockey League. The season was in jeopardy when the last of the original eight franchises of the "International-American Hockey League", the Rhode Island Reds folded in the offseason, and the AHL was left with five teams... |
Springfield Indians Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
75 | 42 | 41 | 83 | 100 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 1978–79 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 37 | 21 | 27 | 48 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1978–79 1978–79 AHL season The 1978–79 AHL season was the 43rd season of the American Hockey League. The league inaugurates the Ken McKenzie Award, for the most outstanding marketing executive, showing its commitment to marketing and public relations.... |
Springfield Indians | AHL | 39 | 13 | 23 | 36 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 64 | 56 | 45 | 101 | 65 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 65 | 56 | 49 | 105 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 50 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 42 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 22 | ||
| 1982–83 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 80 | 29 | 51 | 80 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 79 | 44 | 48 | 92 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 63 | 33 | 30 | 63 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 55 | 36 | 24 | 60 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1986–87 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 29 | 40 | 69 | 59 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1987–88 | Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... |
NHL | 50 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Eintracht Frankfurt Eintracht Frankfurt Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :... |
1.GBun | 36 | 19 | 32 | 51 | 68 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | ||
| 1990–91 | San Diego Gulls | IHL | 43 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | San Diego Gulls | IHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 712 | 342 | 369 | 711 | 544 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 32 | ||||
Retirement
Simmer finished his NHL career with 711 points (342 goals, 369 assists) in 712 career games. At the time of his retirement, he was the last California Golden Seal and the last NHL Cleveland Baron active in professional hockey (Denis Maruk being the last NHL player to play in the NHL having been a Golden Seal and Baron).He was formerly married to one-time Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Playmate of the Year Terri Welles
Terri Welles
Terri Welles is an American actress and adult model.Welles was born in Santa Monica, California. She first appeared on the cover of the May 1980 issue of Playboy, wearing a flight attendant costume to illustrate a pictorial on stewardesses...
; the couple had one daughter. Today, Simmer is a part-time color commentator for the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
Awards and achievements
- MJHL First All-Star Team (1973)
- MJHL Scoring Champion (1973)
- Holds the highest career scoring percentage in NHL history for a player playing in at least 700 games.
- Played in NHL All-Star Game in 1981 and 1984.
- Named to NHL First All-Star Team in 1980 and 1981.
- Won the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1986.
- Named to the Central Hockey League's Second All-Star Team in 1977.
- Named to the American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Second All-Star Team in 19781977–78 AHL seasonThe 1977–78 AHL season was the 42nd season of the American Hockey League. The season was in jeopardy when the last of the original eight franchises of the "International-American Hockey League", the Rhode Island Reds folded in the offseason, and the AHL was left with five teams...
. - Scored goals in thirteen consecutive games in 1980, the longest such streak since Punch BroadbentPunch BroadbentHarold Lawton "Punch" Broadbent was an ice hockey player for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons and the New York Americans, and generally regarded as one of the first true power forwards in National Hockey League history.-Personal life:Born in Ottawa, Ontario...
's still unbroken record of sixteen in 1922.