Simon Després
Encyclopedia
Simon Després is a Canadian major junior ice hockey
defenceman. He is currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
of the American Hockey League
(AHL). He was drafted 30th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
by the Pittsburgh Penguins
.
). The Sea Dogs originally acquired Després with the first overall selection at the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal on September 23, 2007, against the Lewiston Maineiacs
. On June 26, 2009, Despres became the final pick in the first round of the NHL draft, selected by the Stanley Cup
champion Pittsburgh Penguins, however he continued to play for the Sea Dogs in 2009, but remained a prospect for the Penguins.
In 2009-10, Despres appeared in 63 games, scoring nine goals and 47 points, as the Sea Dogs had a league best 109 points. Despres helped the Sea Dogs reach the President's Cup
finals, however, Saint John lost to the Moncton Wildcats
in six games. In 21 playoff games, he had two goals and 19 points.
In 2010-11, Despres was limited to 47 games, but increased his goal scoring output to 13 goals, on his way to recording 41 points and winning the Emile Bouchard Trophy
as the QMJHL's best defenseman. After helping Team Canada win silver in 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Despres and the Sea Dogs capped off their season by winning the President's Cup on their way to a Memorial Cup
championship victory.
.
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...
defenceman. He is currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza...
of the American Hockey League
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...
(AHL). He was drafted 30th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
2009 NHL Entry Draft
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
by 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...
.
Amateur career
A native of Laval, Quebec, Després was rated as the top professional prospect in the QMJHL by several scouting bureaus and media outlets in anticipation of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft (June 26–27 in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
). The Sea Dogs originally acquired Després with the first overall selection at the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal on September 23, 2007, against the Lewiston Maineiacs
Lewiston MAINEiacs
The Lewiston Maineiacs were a junior ice hockey team of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League based in Lewiston, Maine. The team played its home games at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée. They were the second QMJHL team in the United States, and the only one to play a full season...
. On June 26, 2009, Despres became the final pick in the first round of the NHL draft, selected by the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion Pittsburgh Penguins, however he continued to play for the Sea Dogs in 2009, but remained a prospect for the Penguins.
In 2009-10, Despres appeared in 63 games, scoring nine goals and 47 points, as the Sea Dogs had a league best 109 points. Despres helped the Sea Dogs reach the President's Cup
President's Cup (QMJHL)
The President's Cup is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the league's playoffs champion.--Winners—Teams that went on to win the Memorial Cup are listed in bold font.-External links:* List of trophy winners....
finals, however, Saint John lost to the Moncton Wildcats
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They play at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada....
in six games. In 21 playoff games, he had two goals and 19 points.
In 2010-11, Despres was limited to 47 games, but increased his goal scoring output to 13 goals, on his way to recording 41 points and winning the Emile Bouchard Trophy
Emile Bouchard Trophy
The Émile Bouchard Trophy is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, to the "Defenceman of the Year."-Winners:-External links:* List of trophy winners....
as the QMJHL's best defenseman. After helping Team Canada win silver in 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Despres and the Sea Dogs capped off their season by winning the President's Cup on their way to a Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
championship victory.
Professional career
Despres is expected to be a professional player in the 2011-2012 season, either with the Pittsburgh Penguins or their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza...
.
Awards and honours
- Emile Bouchard TrophyEmile Bouchard TrophyThe Émile Bouchard Trophy is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, to the "Defenceman of the Year."-Winners:-External links:* List of trophy winners....
- QMJHL Defenceman of the Year, 2010-11 - Invited to take part in Canada’s 2011 National Junior Team selection camp. He ended up being chosen for the Canadian team.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 2006-07 | Laval-Bourassa Régents | QAAA Hockey Québec Hockey Québec is the governing body of all ice hockey in Quebec, Canada. Hockey Québec is a branch of Hockey Canada.-History:Hockey Québec was organized in 1976 to take over from the various organizations governing hockey in Quebec, such as the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association which had existed... |
42 | 8 | 31 | 39 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 QMJHL season The 2007–08 QMJHL season was the 39th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. At the season-opening press conference, the QMJHL announced in partnership with Telus, all 630 regular season games would be available by internet broadcast. The regular season started on September... |
Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 64 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 30 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 18 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 QMJHL season The 2008–09 QMJHL season was the 40th season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The regular season began on September 11, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team QMJHL versus the Russian Selects, took place on November 17 and 19, 2008.... |
Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 66 | 2 | 30 | 32 | 74 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 QMJHL season The 2009–10 QMJHL season was the 41st season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The regular season, which consisted of eighteen teams playing 68 games each, began on September 10, 2009, and ended on March 14, 2010.... |
Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 63 | 9 | 38 | 47 | 87 | 21 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 18 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 QMJHL season - Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles: - Montreal Junior Hockey Club vs. Halifax Mooseheads: - Quebec Remparts vs. Val-d'Or Foreurs:- Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. Chicoutimi Saguenéens:... |
Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL | 47 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 54 | 19 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | ||
| QMJHL totals | 240 | 25 | 109 | 134 | 245 | 58 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 54 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Junior int'l totals | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||