Amateur As a youth, Simpson played in the 1979
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a
minor ice hockey team from
Oakridge Acres. Simpson played collegiate hockey for the
Michigan State Spartans of the
NCAA from 1983–84 to 1984–85. Simpson skipped the third grade, then took his grade 11 and 12 course load simultaneously allowing him to start college at age 16. He became the first 16-year old to play Varsity hockey in the United States and led the team in scoring as a freshman. Then in his second year, his draft-eligible season, he exploded for 31 goals and 84 points in just 42 games. This performance made him the number one ranked prospect heading into the 1985 NHL Entry Draft according to Central Scouting. The Toronto Maple Leafs held the first overall draft pick in the draft, but their pre-draft meeting with Simpson and his family did not go well.
The Globe and Mail quoted Simpson discussing the meeting: "I had a lot of negative feelings about that first meeting and people told me a lot of negative things about Toronto so it was tough going." Ultimately the Leafs passed on Simpson and selected
Wendel Clark with the first overall selection leaving Simpson available for the Penguins at number two.
Professional Pittsburgh Penguins Simpson was drafted in the first round, second overall, by the
Pittsburgh Penguins in the
1985 NHL entry draft. As an 18-year-old rookie, he scored 11 goals playing right wing (shifting from his natural centre ice position) with veterans
Doug Shedden and
Terry Ruskowski. then more than doubled that total in his second year with 26 goals. His third season saw him slotted on a line with superstar
Mario Lemieux and Simpson began to fill the net 13 goals and 26 points in his first 21 games to start the 1987–88 season before a blockbuster trade would take him off the wing of one of hockey's superstars and land on the wing with another. On November 24, 1987, Simpson, along with
Dave Hannan,
Chris Joseph and
Moe Mantha were shipped to Edmonton in exchange for
Paul Coffey,
Wayne Van Dorp and
Dave Hunter.
Edmonton Oilers Simpson continued to blossom in Edmonton, shifting to the left wing and playing on a line with future
Hall of Famers Mark Messier and
Glenn Anderson. He scored a career-high 56 regular season goals (becoming the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season split between two teams; Pittsburgh and Edmonton) He won two
Stanley Cups with the Oilers, in 1988 and 1990. In the spring of 1990, he led the playoffs with 16 goals (including the Cup-winning goal) in 22 games and tied with teammate Mark Messier for the points lead with 31. The Oilers had another playoff run in 1992, advancing to the Conference Finals, but Simpson was sidelined in game one of the playoffs after a
Larry Robinson check separated his shoulder. Upon further review, the league found that the Sharks offer was illegally structured and invalidated the contract. When rumours began to swirl that the Buffalo Sabres were also preparing an offer sheet for Simpson, the Oilers instead traded him there.
Buffalo Sabres Simpson was traded to the Sabres in exchange for
Jozef Cierny. In Buffalo, Simpson was slotted onto a line with Sabres stars
Pat LaFontaine and
Alexander Mogilny, and he found the back of the net in his first game with them, At just age 28, he retired as a player with Buffalo buying out the final year of his contract. He finished with 497 career NHL points. Arguably one of the most proficient snipers in NHL history, he holds the record for best career shooting percentage (minimum 800 shots) with 23.66%. He also holds the record for best career playoff shooting percentage (minimum 80 shots) with 33.65%, well ahead of second place
Jake Guentzel. In his outstanding 1987–88 season, he posted a 32.26% shooting percentage to go along with his career-high 56 goals;
Charlie Simmer is the only other player in NHL history to top 50 goals and a 30% shooting percentage in a single season. ==Broadcasting career==