Simon Després

Simon Després
Després with the Penguins in 2014.
Born	July 27, 1991 Laval, QC, CAN
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Anaheim Ducks Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft	30th overall, 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2011–present

Simon Després (born July 27, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 30th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Playing career

Amateur

Després began his major junior ice hockey career with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)'s Saint John Sea Dogs, who acquired Després with the first overall selection at the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft.^[1] He scored his first QMJHL goal on September 23, 2007, against the Lewiston Maineiacs.^[2] After two seasons of play, 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 Montreal). On June 26, 2009, he was drafted 30th overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the League's recently crowned Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.^[3]

Remaining with Saint John for the 2009–10 season, Després appeared in 63 games, scoring nine goals and 47 points, as the Sea Dogs had a League-best 109 points. He helped the Sea Dogs reach the President's Cup finals, though Saint John lost to the Moncton Wildcats in six games. In 21 playoff games, he had two goals and 19 points.

Després making his NHL debut against the Washington Capitals, December 2011.

In 2010–11, Després 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 defenceman. After helping Team Canada win silver in 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Després and the Sea Dogs capped off their season by winning the President's Cup on their way to a Memorial Cup championship victory.

Professional

Després played his first career NHL game on December 1, 2011, with the Penguins against the Washington Capitals.^[4] He earned his first NHL point on an assist on Chris Kunitz's goal; he also posted a +2 plus-minus rating on the night.^[5] Després' scored his first career NHL goal on December 17, 2011, against Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres.^[6]

Després made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on April 18, 2012, against the Philadelphia Flyers, logging 11:22 of ice time and finishing with a +2 plus-minus rating. On the night, Després became the first-ever Saint John Sea Dogs alumnus to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game. One day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the 2012 playoffs by the Flyers, he was reassigned to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, on April 23 to participate in their run in the 2012 Calder Cup playoffs.

On March 2, 2015, Després was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenceman Ben Lovejoy.^[7] Després scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal on May 22 against Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 Western Conference Finals. The goal, the eventual game-winner in a 2–1 Ducks victory, was assisted by teammates Ryan Getzlaf and Cam Fowler.^[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006-07	Laval-Bourassa Régents	QAAA		42	8	31	39	36		5	0	2	2	8
2007–08	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		64	1	13	14	30		14	0	4	4	18
2008–09	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		66	2	30	32	74		4	0	4	4	2
2009–10	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		63	9	38	47	87		21	2	17	19	18
2010–11	Saint John Sea Dogs	QMJHL		47	13	28	41	54		19	4	8	12	16
2011–12	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		44	5	10	15	45		10	1	1	2	2
2011–12	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		18	1	3	4	10		3	0	0	0	2
2012–13	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		27	4	3	7	28		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		33	2	5	7	20		3	0	0	0	0
2013–14	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		36	6	16	22	39		17	2	7	9	32
2013–14	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		34	0	5	5	26		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		59	2	15	17	64		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		16	1	5	6	22		16	1	6	7	6
2015–16	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		32	0	4	4	8		7	0	0	0	6
2015–16	San Diego Gulls	AHL		4	1	1	2	6		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				192	6	37	43	150		29	1	6	7	14

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2011 Buffalo

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Canada	WJC			7	0	3	3	0
Junior totals					7	0	3	3	0

Awards

• Emile Bouchard Trophy - QMJHL Defenceman of the Year, 2010-11
• 2011 Canada’s World Junior Team .^[9]

References

1. "Simon Després Named To Canadian National Under-18 Team". OurSportsCentral.com. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
2. http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=2147483647&id_register=10229
3. "Penguins cut 14". Post-Gazette. 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
4. "Simon Despres impresses in NHL debut as Penguins stymie Capitals". bleacherreport.com. 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
5. Simon Després’ Performance on World Stage Has Penguins Hopeful - The Hockey Writers |
6. "Penguins too strong for Sabres". National Hockey League. 2011-12-16. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
7. "Ducks acquire Despres from Pittsburgh in exchange for Lovejoy". Anaheim Ducks. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
8. Rourke, Shawn (May 22, 2015). "Despres steps up with game-winning goal for Ducks". NHL.com. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
9. "Hockey Canada Selection Camp: Team Profile". Hockey Canada. 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2011-05-06.

External links

• Simon Després's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Simon Després's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database