Ben Simon’s career is an interesting path that includes a great deal of hard work, believing in himself and taking a chance or two.

His junior and college career saw him play for his local team, Shaker Heights, the Cleveland Jr Barons and finally the University of Notre Dame, whom he would captain in his final season.
Whilst playing for Notre Dame, Simon was selected 110th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Entry-Draft.

The Ohio native turned professional in 200 and immediately enjoyed success in the form of consecutive championship seasons.

During the 2000-01 campaign, Simon suited up for the Orlando Solar Bears, who at that time was competing in the International Hockey League (IHL).
The rookie struggled offensively during the regular season (twenty points in 77 games) but the playoffs brought out the best in him. Potting six goals and adding five assists in just sixteen games on route to Orlando hoisting the Turner Cup.

An NHL debut would arrive the following season but not for the team who drafted him.

Simon would suit up for the Atlanta Thrashers six times through the 2001-02 campaign but it was at the second tier where the forward would enjoy more success.

Simon was a part of the Chicago Wolves team that somewhat scrambled into the playoffs after having to play a best-of-three qualifier.

Having defeated Cincinnati 2-1 in that mini-series (after losing game one and game two requiring double overtime), the Wolves found life no easier in the following two series that both went to a deciding game. Grand Rapids were defeated 3-2 and Syracuse 4-3 before Chicago found themselves in the Conference Final. The juggernaut would not be halted as they swept past Houston Aeros 4-1 (the only loss occurred in double overtime) and they would beat Bridgeport Sound Tigers by the same margin in the final to lift the Calder Cup.

There would be no third straight championship for Simon, who would spend the next three-four seasons bouncing between the NHL and the AHL. With the realisation that his NHL days were numbered, a venture to Europe for the 2008-09 season materialised.

After playing one year in the DEL for Iserlohn Roosters, Simon returned to North America, penning a contract with ECHL team Kalamazoo Wings.

A chance to play one more time in the AHL arrived on January 01, 2010, as the Toronto Marlies signed the centreman to a PTO.
Simon would end up playing 44 regular-season games for the Marlies, recording eight points (2-6-8) on a team that struggled through the campaign and would ultimately miss out on a playoff berth.

The return to Kalamazoo for three playoff games would be the last competitive action for Simon in North America.

A one-season visit to the UK the following year would set in motion the next phase of his career.
Simon joined the Sheffield Steelers as player-coach, which proved a success for both player and team. The offense flowed as the former NHLer helped himself to 21 goals and 57 points through 54 games and the Steelers were crowned EIHL champions.

There was little time wasted in kicking off his coaching career back in North America with no small dollop of irony thrown in. The Chicago Blackhawks, the team who drafted and passed him over as a player, hired Simon as an assistant coach of their affiliate in Rockford.
After two years with the IceHogs, a first head coaching opportunity presented itself and you can probably guess what happened next.

Simon became the second head coach in ECHL history to reach the Kelly Cup Finals in his first year in charge. So close, but no cigar.

He guided the Cincinnati Cyclones to a franchise-best season record of 41-23-4-4 (0.625), achieving fifth place in the Eastern Conference, beating all before them before falling to the Alaska Aces at the final hurdle in six games.
It was immediately back to the AHL but in the same role as before but this time with the Toronto Marlies.

It was a year that begun badly as Toronto slumped to a 5-12-2 record and struggling to create offense consistently.
The arrival of Byron Froese, ironically acquired from the Cincinnati Cyclones, kickstarted Toronto and his addition along with William Nylander a month later helped the Marlies attain a playoff berth with a record of 40-27-9.

Facing the Grand Rapids Griffins in the first round looked a daunting task and although Toronto won both home games, they would lose three straight and the series in Michigan.

A return closer to home was on the table in the summer as Simon opted to take an assistant coaching role with Grand Rapids Griffins.

During his three years in that role, the Griffins won a Calder Cup in 2017 and it appeared a matter of time before a head-coaching offer arrived.

That would arrive in 2018 with the Griffins and Simon remains head coach of Detroit’s American League affiliate to this day.


AHL Playing Career
Games: 481
Goals: 78
Assists: 110
Points: 188
Playoffs: 62 games| 3-9-12
One Calder Cup Championship

AHL Head Coaching Record *correct at time of writing
Games: 155
Record: 75-60-20


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