Benjamin Clarke Simon (born June 14, 1978) is an American former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
center who played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
and
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
between 2001 and 2006. He was the head coach of the
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The E ...
's
Cincinnati Cyclones
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Originally established in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at Heritage Bank Cen ...
for the
2013–14 season, guiding the club to a conference championship. Simon served as an assistant coach for the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
's
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...
in 2014–15 and the
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey, hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and play home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National H ...
from 2015 to 2018. He was then promoted to head coach of the Griffins for the
2018–19 season.
Playing career
Simon grew up playing hockey for
Shaker Heights High School as well as Team Ohio Midget AAA and the Cleveland Junior Barons.
He was drafted 110th overall by the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
in the
1997 NHL Entry Draft
The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was the 35th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1997.
As of 2022, the only remaining active player in the NHL from the 1997 draft class is Joe Thornton.
Selections ...
and has played 81 games in the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
with the
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
and
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
, scoring three goals and one assist. In the
2007–08 AHL season
The 2007–08 AHL season was the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Fi ...
, he played for the
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons were a former ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center.
In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ar ...
. For the 2008–09 season, Simon played with the
Iserlohn Roosters
The Iserlohn Roosters are a professional ice hockey team based in Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia. They are members of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) since 2000 and play their home games at the Eissporthalle Iserlohn which is also known as '' ...
in Germany's
Deutsche Eishockey Liga
The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called "PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga") (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in ...
. In July 2010, he signed up for his first coaching role, as Player/Coach for the Sheffield Steelers in the British Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2010–11 season. After winning the regular season championship with the Steelers, Simon decided not to return to the Steelers for another season.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honors
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Benjamin
1978 births
Living people
American ice hockey coaches
American men's ice hockey centers
Atlanta Thrashers players
Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Chicago Wolves players
Columbus Blue Jackets players
Grand Rapids Griffins coaches
Grand Rapids Griffins players
Ice hockey people from Ohio
Iserlohn Roosters players
Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) players
Milwaukee Admirals players
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey players
Orlando Solar Bears (IHL) players
Sportspeople from Shaker Heights, Ohio
Sheffield Steelers players
Springfield Falcons players
Syracuse Crunch players
Toronto Marlies players
Ice hockey players from Ohio