Shawn Simpson
{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (1968–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Shawn Simpson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1968|8|10}}
| birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|1|29|1968|8|10}}
| death_place = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 155
| position = Goaltender
| catches = Right
| played_for = AHL
Baltimore Skipjacks
| ntl_team = CAN
| draft = 30th overall
| draft_team = Washington Capitals
| career_start = 1988–89
| career_end = 1990–91
}}
Shawn Simpson (August 10, 1968 – January 29, 2025) was a Canadian ice hockey player and on-air personality with TSN 1200 radio in Ottawa. After retiring as a player, Simpson worked in the front office for both the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs organizations.
Early life
Simpson was born and adopted in Vancouver, British Columbia, and never knew his birth parents.{{Cite news |first=Tim |last=Baines |url=https://ottawasun.com/2013/07/13/shawn-simpson-enjoying-time-as-a-hockey-commentator-on-team-1200-after-experiencing-his-share-of-ups-and-downs |title=Shawn Simpson enjoying time as a hockey commentator on Team 1200 after experiencing his share of ups and downs |newspaper=Ottawa Sun |access-date=2025-01-30 |date=2013-07-13}} His family relocated to Chatham, Ontario. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to Canadian Forces Base - Rockcliffe. His parents Lyle and Shirley divorced when he was 10 years old. His father remarried and his mother moved several more times between the time Simpson was 10 to 16 years old.
Playing career
= Junior =
Simpson was a member of the 1987 Canadian national junior team that was disqualified from the World Junior Championship for their involvement in the infamous "Punch-up in Piestany". He was also a first-team OHL all-star in 1987.{{cite book |last=Joyce |first=Gare |year=2006 |title=When the Lights Went Out |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0-385-66275-8}}
Simpson was drafted 60th overall in the 1986 NHL draft by the Washington Capitals, the first goaltender selected that year.{{Cite web |url=http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=NHLPage&bcid=his_draft1986 |title=Washington Capitals Entry Drafts: 1986 |website=Washington Capitals |access-date=2009-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207213907/http://capitals.nhl.com/club/page.htm?bcid=his_draft1986 |archive-date=2011-02-07}}
= Professional =
Simpson's professional playing career was short, with only 35 games played over three seasons for the Baltimore Skipjacks, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. Although he never officially played a National Hockey League game, Simpson dressed in 1988 and 1990 as a back-up goaltender for the Capitals for several playoff games.{{Cite web |first=Mike |last=Vogel |date=December 12, 2008 |url=http://boards.washingtoncaps.com/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=59 |title=Dump and Chase: Battle of the Rookie 'Tenders; In Demand |website=Washington Capitals |access-date=2009-01-06 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130816184409/http://web.archive.org/web/20081217035220/http://boards.washingtoncaps.com/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=59 |archive-date=2013-08-16}}
Executive career
= Washington Capitals =
After retiring due to injury, Simpson joined the Capitals' television network, where he worked for two years as a colour commentator while completing law school at Georgetown University. He then served as a scout in the Washington Capitals organization for the next six years. In 1997, Simpson was promoted to director of hockey operations for the Capitals, and he also served as the general manager of the AHL's Portland Pirates, the Capitals' main affiliate.{{cite news |first=Rachel |last=Alexander |title=Capitals Promote Simpson |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/08/13/capitals-promote-simpson/3cf100e0-48f9-452a-92b4-714219734591/ |work=The Washington Post |date=1997-08-13}}
= Toronto Maple Leafs =
In 2004, Simpson left the Capitals organization and joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as a professional scout.{{Cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/transactions?team=tor&year=2004|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722030708/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/transactions?team=tor&year=2004|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 22, 2012|title=Toronto Maple Leafs Transactions 2003-04|access-date=2009-01-06}} In June 2008, Simpson was fired as part of a general shake-up in the Leafs organization.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/Sports/Hockey/article/440929 |title=Losing no longer an option: Wilson |newspaper=The Toronto Star |access-date=2009-01-06 |first=Paul |last=Hunter |date=2008-06-11}}
= Other ventures =
In April 2009, Simpson was hired by Glen Hanlon, with whom he had previously worked in Washington, to be the deputy director of hockey operations for HC Dinamo Minsk in the KHL.{{cite news |url=http://www.pressball.by/articles/hockey/interview/49052 |title=Пост принял. Шон Симпсон: всех не купишь |trans-title=Post accepted. Sean Simpson: You can't buy them all |work=Pressball-Online |access-date=2013-06-10 |first=Sergey |last=Nikolaev |date=2009-06-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128114251/http://www.pressball.by/articles/hockey/interview/49052 |archive-date=January 28, 2015}} Both men were fired in October 2009.{{cite news |url=http://news.belta.by/en/news/sport?id=438343 |title=Hanlon will remain as head coach of Belarus' national ice hockey team |work=Belerusian Telegraph Agency |access-date=2013-06-10 |date=2009-10-22 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131027224042/http://news.belta.by/en/news/sport?id=438343 |archive-date=2013-10-27}} Later that same year, Simpson became the president of the Cape Cod Cubs of the International Junior Hockey League.[http://capecodjrcubs.com/exec.php Cape Cod Cubs official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206030106/http://capecodjrcubs.com/exec.php |date=2010-12-06 }}
Broadcasting career
Simpson began working for sports radio station The Team 1200 in Ottawa in January 2012, where he co-hosted "The Drive" with Ian Mendes, as well as the Ottawa Senators post-game broadcasts.[http://www.team1200.com/hosts/ TEAM 1200 Hosts] In October 2013, The Team 1200 was rebranded as TSN 1200. Simpson hosted "Mornings" with co-host John Rodenburg.{{cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/how-a-simple-conversation-with-my-co-host-changed-our-relationship-1.657122|title=How a simple conversation with my co-host changed our relationship|publisher=TSN|access-date=2016-01-25 | date=2016-01-24}} He was terminated by Bell Media on June 14, 2023.{{cite web |last1=Stephen |first1=Allison |title=Bell Media slashes 1,300 jobs, closes six radio stations across Canada |url=https://dailyhive.com/canada/bell-media-slashes-jobs-closes-radio-stations-canada |website=dailyhive.com |access-date=30 November 2023}}
Death
Simpson died in Ottawa on January 29, 2025, at the age of 56. His death was confirmed by the Ottawa Senators through their X account the following day.{{cite news |last1=Warne |first1=Steve |title=Remembering Former Ottawa Broadcaster and NHL Executive Shawn Simpson |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/remembering-former-ottawa-broadcaster-and-nhl-executive-shawn-simpson |access-date=1 February 2025 |publisher=The Hockey News |date=30 January 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{hockeydb|4971}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Shawn}}
Category:Baltimore Skipjacks players
Category:Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
Category:Oshawa Generals players
Category:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds players
Category:Ice hockey people from Vancouver
Category:Washington Capitals draft picks
Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Belarus
Category:Washington Capitals announcers
Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States