Former Penguins defenseman Simon Despres has signed with Eisbaren Berlin in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
A first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in 2009, Despres spent parts of four seasons at the NHL level with the Penguins. In 140 games with the Penguins, Despres scored 33 points (five goals, 28 assists).
At the 2015 trade deadline, Despres was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Ben Lovejoy. His stay in Anaheim was short as injuries — namely, a concussion — limited Despres to 49 games and 10 points (one goal, nine assists) over three seasons with the Ducks.
By June of 2017, the Ducks bought out the final three years of his contract.
Since then, Despres has had a nomadic career playing for HC Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia, the Laval (Quebec) Rocket of the American Hockey League, Kolner Haie of the DEL and IK Oskarshamn of the Swedish Hockey League.
His last professional game was with Oskarshamn in early February of 2020.
Despres, now 29, admitted in a 2016 interview with Quebec outlet TVA that issues with alcohol played a role in his struggles to remain in the NHL.
