Chris Simon, a member of the Avalanche's 1996 Stanley Cup championship team, says he is more than $500,000 in debt, is living on social assistance and disability checks, and has filed for bankruptcy, according to documents filed with Ottawa family court.

The revelations were reported by the Ottawa Citizen.

Simon, 45, is among a group of players in a proposed class-action lawsuit against the NHL that is seeking millions in damages over its alleged handling of concussions.

Simon had 16 goals, 18 assists and 250 penalty minutes in 64 regular-season games with the Avalanche in 1995-96, the franchise's first season in Denver after it moved from Quebec. He had one goal, two assists and 11 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games.

The 6-feet-3 forward made his NHL debut in 1992-93 with the Nordiques. Aside from Colorado, he played for Washington, Chicago, the New York Rangers and Islanders, Calgary and Minnesota in a 16-season NHL career that ended in 2007-08. He spent parts of the following five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Simon had 144 goals, 161 assists and 1,824 penalty minutes in 782 NHL games. He had 10 goals, seven assists and 191 penalty minutes in 75 playoff games.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that Simon's debts include more than three years of missed child-support payments totaling $128,875 after his hockey career ended because of a knee injury, according to court documents.

Simon has asked the court to forgive the child-support debt, claiming he isn't able to work because of hockey-related injuries that include symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which he said are “thought to be attributable to significant brain trauma during his hockey career.”

“I have no ability to pay the alleged arrears or enter into any form of payment agreement,” Simon said in an affidavit filed May 15 with the family court office in Ottawa. "My financial situation is bleak.”

There are liens on his heavily-mortgaged former home in Wawa, Ontario that is in foreclosure, according to the court documents. Proceeds of the sale from the home and other possessions will go to creditors.

According to the court documents, Simon will still owe $182,625 once all the assets are sold. He hasn't yet begun drawing his NHL pension.

Simon’s ex-wife, Lauri Lynne Smith, alleges in an affidavit responding to Simon’s claim that he failed to disclose his income for years as part of a court-ordered child-support agreement.

*****

From NHL.com:

This date in history: May 31

2001: Ray Bourque's last Stanley Cup playoff goal is one for the record books.
The 40-year-old defenseman became the oldest player in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final when he scored 31 seconds into the third period in the Avalanche's 3-1 victory against New Jersey in Game 3 at the Continental Airlines Arena.

Bourque's 41st and final NHL playoff goal, a shot past goalie Martin Brodeur after a faceoff win by Joe Sakic, broke a 1-1 tie.

"For me, I can probably say it's my biggest goal," said Bourque, who was in his second season with Colorado after more than 20 years with Boston.

The Avalanche won the Cup in seven games.

*****

The Colorado Eagles, who are the Avalanche's ECHL affiliate, have a 2-0 series lead for the Kelly Cup championship against the South Carolina Stingrays.

The Eagles won the first two games at home, 3-2 in double overtime last Friday and 3-2 on Sunday.

A weird schedule has the series resuming Sunday in North Charleston, S.C. Game 4 will be played Monday and Game 5, if necessary, next Wednesday.



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