The 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles was Wayne's world -- Wayne Simmonds, that is.
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Simmonds became the second black player and first nongoalie to win the All-Star MVP award when the Philadelphia Flyers forward scored three goals, including the winner in the championship game, to help the Metropolitan Division win the four-team tournament at Staples Center.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Simmonds, who began his NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings and played 240 games for them before being traded to the Flyers on June 23, 2011. He was pleasantly surprised by the cheers he heard.
"It meant a lot," Simmonds said. "I've been in Philadelphia for the last six years and when you leave a place, you don't expect to come back and get all the cheers I got today. I must have done something right when I was here. I know I had a lot of die-hard fans here and I really appreciate those people. I just appreciate everything. They made me feel good today."
The native of Scarborough, Ontario, finished the season with 31 goals, the fifth consecutive full season he scored at least 28. He's been a prototypical power forward, someone who goes to the front of the net and gets into the dirty areas. Simmonds has been especially proficient on the power play, reaching double figures in man-advantage goals six times.
Simmonds joined Edmonton Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr 31 years earlier as the only black players to win All-Star MVP honors. He hoped his honor would lead to continued diversity in hockey.
"I think if you look around the game now, you're starting to see different ethnicities, not only black, but it's starting to open up a little bit, and that's the goal here," Simmonds said, according to colorofhockey.com. "Hockey is for everyone, so it's a great sport. I'm trying to be a good ambassador and stuff like that, so it's great."
