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Friday, October 1, 1999
Captain ships out
Flames trade Simpson to Florida for Bill Lindsay
No one was there to greet the undrafted free agent. No one really expected him to become an NHL player.
Eventually, a secretary brought in his contract and the wide-eyed kid signed without fanfare -- $40,000 if he made the minor-league club. No press conference. No souvenir jersey or ball cap. Not even the pen.
The nobody, wanting proof he had made it, looked for his name in the newspaper's NHL transactions the next day. Nothing.
Yesterday, that nobody, Todd Simpson, walked out of the Flames dressing room for the last time, traded to Florida for forward Bill Lindsay.
But he walks out with much more than he first came here with.
A million-dollar contract, a team captain, Simpson fashioned an NHL career out of a single-minded determination to succeed despite long odds.
In Calgary, he became a tough, solid player, perhaps prone to inconsistency borne of his lack of mobility. He wasn't the best defenceman, but in Calgary he was an acknowledged team leader both at the rink and in the community.
His trade came as a shock, despite the summer of expectations that the team would reduce the logjam at defence.
"I never thought I was exempt of being traded because I was the captain, but it's still a shock," said Simpson, misty eyed after the trade announcement.
This was clearly a deal by the Flames to shore up a weakness at forward from a strength at defence. Florida's needs for a young, tough defenceman allowed them to part with a team leader who adds experience to a young Flames forward unit.
"Todd has given the organization good service and been a good guy in the community here," said GM Al Coates.
"The bottom line is it is a forward we need right now more than the defenceman."
Simpson became trade bait because he could bring something in return.
The presence of Denis Gauthier, Toni Lydman and Wade Belak simply made Simpson expendable. He understood that.
"Like management said, they were dealing from strength, so they had to move someone and you hope it is not you but now that it is, I'm excited to go to Florida," said Simpson.
"I really enjoyed living here, getting out in the community and working with various charities. It's a great city and I want to thank all the fans who have been great to me."
The Panthers want Simpson to add toughness to their defence and ironically to act as protection for superstar Pavel Bure.
Bure, while in Vancouver, had a sometimes violent, running feud with Simpson. Simpson once said, "I hate that little puke."
Now that little puke will be expecting Simpson to protect him.
"I don't foresee a problem getting along with Pavel," laughed Simpson. "I'm sure he's looking forward to playing with me instead."
The Panthers are excited to get Simpson.
"He's a fighter. He's a nasty player," said coach Terry Murray. "This is a guy that brings small-town hockey to the game, making everybody pay the price.
There were days not long ago Todd Simpson was not even considered a marginal prospect.
Now an NHL team is willing to trade for him, to be glad they have him.
All this for a kid who came into Calgary as a 'nobody.'
Todd Simpson leaves as something much more -- an acknowledged team leader and a guy who always had time for his teammates, media and community.
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