Todd Simpson

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image_size = 230px

| caption =

| alt =

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|5|28|mf=y}}

| birth_place = North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 215

| position = Defence

| shoots = Left

| played_for = Calgary Flames
Florida Panthers
Phoenix Coyotes
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Ottawa Senators
Herning Blue Fox
Chicago Blackhawks
Montreal Canadiens
Hannover Scorpions

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 1994

| career_end = 2007

}}

Todd William Simpson (born May 28, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who spent parts of 10 seasons in the National Hockey League. He is currently a real estate agent in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Playing career

Simpson played at Brown University before switching to Canadian junior hockey with the Tri-City Americans and Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League.

In 1994, he was signed by the Calgary Flames, for whom he would be a member of until 1999.

In the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks, on October 5, 1996, Simpson pushed future Hall of Famer Pavel Bure into the boards head-first which gave Bure whiplash.

For the 1999–2000 NHL season, Simpson moved to the Florida Panthers and was traded the following season to the Phoenix Coyotes.{{cite web |title=Coyotes Acquire Todd Simpson from Florida |url=http://www.phoenixcoyotes.com/news/pressreleases/20010313.shtml |website=Phoenix Coyotes |access-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010619174613/http://www.phoenixcoyotes.com/news/pressreleases/20010313.shtml |archive-date=June 19, 2001 |date=March 13, 2001}}

After being claimed in the waiver draft by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to start the 2003–04 NHL season, Simpson scored a career-high 4 goals, only to be traded to the Ottawa Senators.{{cite web |last1=Foster |first1=Chris |last2=Bresnahan |first2=Mike |title=Loss on Defense Followed by Gain |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-04-sp-duxkings4-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 8, 2022 |date=October 4, 2003}}{{cite web |title=SENATORS ACQUIRE SIMPSON FROM ANAHEIM FOR SCHASTLIVY |url=http://www.ottawasenators.com/news/press/2004/nr0204e.aro |website=Ottawa Senators |access-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040808230958/http://www.ottawasenators.com/news/press/2004/nr0204e.aro |archive-date=August 8, 2004 |date=February 4, 2004}}

Simpson played his first season overseas during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, winning the Danish league championship for Herning Blue Fox, with his teammate and younger brother Kent. He returned to the NHL to play with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens the following season.{{cite web |title=Blackhawks Sign D Todd Simpson |url=http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com:80/news/news.asp?story_id=2905 |website=Chicago Blackhawks |access-date=December 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051128060022/http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com:80/news/news.asp?story_id=2905 |archive-date=November 28, 2005 |date=August 23, 2005}}{{cite web |title=Canadiens pick up Simpson from Chicago |url=http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=4856 |website=Canadiens de Montreal |access-date=December 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060319190844/http://www.canadiens.com/eng/news/redirect.cfm?sectionID=habsNewsDetails.cfm&newsItemID=4856 |archive-date=March 19, 2006 |date=March 9, 2006}}

During 2006–07 season, Simpson played for the Hannover Scorpions of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany. During the playoffs, he received a 12-game suspension for abuse of an official. The New York Islanders attempted to bring him back to the NHL for a playoff push. However, the NHL upheld his DEL suspension and Simpson would not play another professional game.

Personal

In 2011 Simpson was the 8th hockey player cast for the 3rd season of the Canadian TV show "Battle of the Blades."{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2011 |title=CBC announces Battle of the Blades' pairs - including new addition Russ Courtnall |url=https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/press-release/cbc-announces-battle-of-the-blades-pairs-including-new-addition-russ-courtn |access-date=February 23, 2024 |website=cbc.ca}} He was partnered with United States Olympian Marcy Hinzmann, but they were the first couple eliminated.{{Cite web |last=Cowen |first=Stu |date=October 1, 2011 |title=Former Hab Courtnall bounced from Battle of the Blades |url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/former-hab-courtnall-bounced-from-battle-of-the-blades |access-date=February 23, 2024 |website=Montreal Gazette}}