Maple Leafs' Wayne Simmonds: Fighting for NHL job

Simmonds, who is competing for a roster spot this season, spent the summer trying to speed his game up, reports The Athletic.

Simmonds' game is on the decline and he must earn a fourth-line role with the Leafs this season. "I felt I was a little slow off the hop last year," Simmonds explained, "so I think that was one of my main focuses going into this summer is (to) try to get quicker in my first two strides and go from there." He was used sparingly last season, scored just once after Jan. 1 and after averaging a career-worst 9:20 a game, he ended up in the media box after Game 2 of the playoffs. Simmonds did deliver 148 hits last season in 72 games, but faces stiff competition from a number of younger players in camp to even win a job. Three words: do not draft.