Canadian hockey play Chris Simon clotheslines Ryan Hollweg with his hockey stick in this video. Hollweg had performed a legal check on Simon, but Simon lets his petty temper get the better of him. He lashes out at Hollweg like an eight year-old on the playground. This little stunt caused him a minimum suspension of 25 games.

I would maybe let this guy off the hook for a one time deal of temper misplacement. But only a few months later, Simon lets loose the two year-old within and stomps on Jarkko Ruutu leg with his skate. Nothing says suspension like a blade to the back of the leg.

On December 15, 2007, at 14:06 of the third period of a home game against Pittsburgh, Tim Jackman and Jarkko Ruutu had some words between the teams’ benches during a stoppage of play. Simon skated in behind Ruutu and pulled Ruutu’s leg back with his own. When Ruutu fell to his knees, Simon stepped on the back of Ruutu’s right leg with his skate and then went to the bench. Simon was given a match penalty for attempt to injure and ejected from the game.

The following Monday, Simon agreed to go on indefinite paid leave from the team, saying there was “no excuse” for his actions and that he needed some time away from hockey.^[8] The next day, Simon was suspended for 30 games, the second-longest suspension for an on-ice incident in modern NHL history behind a one-year suspension handed down to Marty McSorley in 1999–2000. League disciplinarian Colin Campbell said that in his opinion, Simon had “repeatedly evidence(d) the lack of ability to control his actions,” and also stressed that this was his eighth disciplinary hearing.^[9]

Yeah, I’d say he needed some time away from the game. Something about the man seeing red and losing all higher mental functions (such as the ability not to be a total dick) does say “early retirement” to me.