Simon Després

Lore & Background

Després began his major junior career with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, who selected him first overall in the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft. He scored his first QMJHL goal on September 23, 2007, against the Lewiston Maineiacs.

After two seasons, he was rated the top professional prospect in the QMJHL ahead of the 2009 NHL entry draft, where the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him 30th overall. He remained with Saint John for the 2009–10 season, recording nine goals and 47 points in 63 games as the Sea Dogs posted a league-best 109 points. In 2010–11, he won the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL's best defenceman, and helped the Sea Dogs win the President's Cup and Memorial Cup championship.

Després made his NHL debut on December 1, 2011, against the Washington Capitals, earning his first NHL point on an assist on Chris Kunitz's goal. He scored his first NHL goal on December 17, 2011, against Ryan Miller.

He made his Stanley Cup playoff debut on April 18, 2012, against the Philadelphia Flyers, becoming the first Saint John Sea Dogs alumnus to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game. On March 2, 2015, he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Ben Lovejoy. He scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal on May 22, 2015, against Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Finals.

On October 16, 2015, Després suffered a concussion from an illegal hit by Colorado Avalanche defenceman Tyson Barrie. He missed 42 games, and in the 2016–17 season, recurring symptoms ruled him out after the opening game. The Ducks bought out the remaining three years of his contract on June 16, 2017.

He later signed with HC Slovan Bratislava of the KHL, then attempted an NHL comeback with the Montreal Canadiens, who assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket. After a professional try-out with Laval, he rejected a contract offer and was released on January 3, 2019. He subsequently played in Germany, Sweden, and the UK before signing with Melbourne Ice in June 2026.

Reader's Guide

Simon Després's career illustrates how a single injury can redirect a promising professional trajectory. Drafted 30th overall by the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, he was a highly regarded defenceman who won the QMJHL's top defenceman award and a Memorial Cup with Saint John. His NHL debut in 2011 and early playoff appearances suggested a solid future. However, the concussion he suffered on October 16, 2015, from an illegal hit by Tyson Barrie proved career-altering.

Recurring symptoms forced him to miss nearly all of the following season, and the Anaheim Ducks bought out the remaining three years of his contract due to medical uncertainty and salary cap constraints. Despite attempts to return—including a KHL stint with HC Slovan Bratislava, a try-out with the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate, and subsequent moves through European and UK leagues—he never regained a full-time NHL role. His journey through multiple leagues and continents underscores the fragility of a professional sports career and the persistent challenge of concussion recovery.