Craig Simpson

Lore & Background

Simpson played collegiate hockey for the Michigan State Spartans from 1983–84 to 1984–85, becoming the first 16-year-old to play Varsity hockey in the United States. He was drafted second overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers (1988 and 1990) and led the playoffs with 16 goals in 1990. He holds the NHL record for best career shooting percentage (minimum 800 shots) at 23.66% and best playoff shooting percentage (minimum 80 shots) at 33.65%.

In Their Own Story

The North Star Arena was loud that night, the kind of rumble that settled in your chest before the puck even dropped. Simpson was in the corner, stick buried in the boards, waiting for the forecheck to bring the puck to him. He didn't need a highlight. He needed the shift. He needed to be the guy who made the opposing winger think twice before carrying the puck into his zone. The crowd didn't chant his name—not yet, not in those years—but they felt the rhythm of his skating, the steady, relentless pressure he applied for two full minutes of ice time. When the horn sounded and he skated back to the bench, he didn't celebrate. He just wiped his glove on his thigh, looked down the ice, and waited for the next faceoff. That was the job. That was the era. And for the North Stars, it was enough.

Reader's Guide

Simpson began his NHL career as a right wing with the Penguins, shifted to left wing in Edmonton, and played on lines with Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, and Glenn Anderson. He scored a career-high 56 goals in 1987–88, becoming the first player to score 50 goals in a season split between two teams. Back injuries limited his later years, and he retired at age 28 after playing for the Buffalo Sabres.

Did You Know?

• Simpson was the first 16-year-old to play Varsity hockey in the United States.
• He scored the final point recorded by Wayne Gretzky in an Oilers sweater.
• He won the first season of CBC's Battle of the Blades in 2009 with partner Jamie Salé.
• He holds the NHL record for best career shooting percentage (minimum 800 shots) at 23.66%.