| Simon Després | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 27, 1991 Laval, QC, CAN |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| AHL team | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins |
| NHL Draft | 30th overall, 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Playing career | 2011–present |
Simon Després (born July 27, 1991) is a Canadian major junior ice hockey defenseman. He is currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 30th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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A native of Laval, Quebec, 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). The Sea Dogs originally 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] On June 26, 2009, Despres became the final pick in the first round of the NHL draft, selected by the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, however he continued to play for the Sea Dogs in 2009, but remained a prospect for the Penguins.[3]
In 2009-10, Despres appeared in 63 games, scoring nine goals and 47 points, as the Sea Dogs had a league best 109 points. Despres helped the Sea Dogs reach the President's Cup finals, however, Saint John lost to the Moncton Wildcats in six games. In 21 playoff games, he had two goals and 19 points.
In 2010-11, Despres 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 defenseman. After helping Team Canada win silver in 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Despres and the Sea Dogs capped off their season by winning the President's Cup on their way to a Memorial Cup championship victory.
Despres played his first NHL game on December 1, 2011 with the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals.[4] He earned his first NHL point on an assist with Chris Kunitz. He was also a +2 on the night[5] His first NHL goal was scored on December 16, 2011 against Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres.[6]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for Canada | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Silver | 2011 USA | |
| 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 | ||
| QMJHL totals | 240 | 25 | 109 | 134 | 245 | 58 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 54 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Junior int'l totals | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Preceded by Angelo Esposito |
Pittsburgh Penguins first round draft pick 2009 |
Succeeded by Beau Bennett |