'I'm done': Bruising forward Wayne Simmonds calls time on NHL career after 15 seasons

The Wayne Train has made its final stop.

After 15 hard-nosed NHL seasons where he filled the net and threw plenty of fists, Wayne Simmonds has called time on his playing career.

The 35-year-old spoke to The Canadian Press on Friday ahead of the Hockey Diversity Alliance's first-ever WinterFest event scheduled for Feb. 3 in Toronto.

With three kids under the age of five — his wife, Crystal, gave birth to the couple's first son two months ago — he has a lot on his plate.

Getting one more NHL shot isn't among the long list of priorities.

"I haven't officially announced my retirement, but I'm done," said Simmonds, who played his final three seasons with the Maple Leafs. "I had a great career. It was the best time I've ever had in my life.

"Right now, it's family time."

Simmonds put up 263 goals, 526 points and 1,313 penalty minutes in 1,037 games with six teams. He added 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) and 122 penalty minutes in 53 playoff appearances.

The Scarborough, Ont., native played his first three years with the Los Angeles Kings after being selected in the second round of the 2007 NHL draft, but made his mark over eight seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers.

One of the league's premier power forwards during that era, Simmonds scored 28 or more goals five times, including a career-high 32 in 2015-16. Never afraid to drop the gloves, the bruising winger also had a career-high 147 penalty minutes that season.

Simmonds went on to have short stints with Nashville, Buffalo and New Jersey before signing in Toronto ahead of the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

"Nice to be able to play at home," he said. "It was nice to be able to have my two little girls watch me play. They're from Toronto, they're born in Toronto,