Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart leave Czech team

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who was subject to racial taunts during a road game in the Czech league, has left his Liberec team "for family reasons" and returned to his home in the Toronto area.

News of Simmonds' departure news on the same day that IdNez.cz reported that eight fans from Chomutov, where the alleged taunts occurred, will be charged with disorderly conduct and defamation of nation, race or ethnic group. The charge carries a maximum of three years in prison.

"I believe at the end of the day, you will modify people's behavior in the future by how swiftly the team, league and town responds and I think (Czechs) did a phenomenal job of addressing the issue," said Eustace King, Simmonds' agent. "They were clearly upset with how their fan base was being portrayed. I respect what they have done."

St. Louis Blues player Chris Stewart also is leaving Liberec to rejoin Crimmitschau in the German league.

"I don't want to say it didn't have anything to do (with the racial taunts)," said King, who also represents Stewart. "But It was a bunch of things that added up. Whether it was an incident that happened on the ice, a coaching staff change, the language barrier… it was a bunch of things that eventually led players to the feeling they would be better off in a different spot."

Simmonds and Stewart are close friends, and played together in Germany briefly before going to the Czech Republic to find a higher level of competition. Simmonds had 14 points and Stewart 11 points in nine games in Germany. In the Czech Republic, Simmonds had three goals and three assists in six games and Stewart had one assist in five games.

"It was a culmination of everything," King said. "The guys thought (Liberec) was a first-class organization. It was a small NHL facility. Everything was first class. But the team was going through a unique transition. They had an internal issue and they ended up terminating the coach…here was the language issue. It really was a multitude of things."

The Czech team wasn't happy about losing the two players, who are both proven NHL scorers. Simmonds scored 28 goals last season for Philadelphia, and Stewart netted 15 last season and has scored as many as 28 in a season

"(Liberec officials) were frustrated because they felt like they didn't have a chance to remedy it," King said. "But to me, it's just important that players play in an environment that they are comfortable in."

King said Crimmitschau is simply a better fit for Stewart at this time. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Clarke MacArthur went there after Simmonds and Stewart left.

"Sometimes you catch an organization in flux. You catch them at the wrong time and I think that's what happened here," King said.

Although Simmonds and Stewart are close, King said their decisions were made independently based on their own circumstances.

"We just felt it was probably best for the players," King said. "Chris could go to an environment where he could do the things he needs to do and Wayne had to leave on a personal matter, and that was going to happen regardless of what Chris did."

Paul Stastny goes to Germany

Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny has signed with Munich of Germany's top league, where he will join fellow American Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets.

"Hopefully they will be linemates on Team USA in the future," said agent Matt Keator, who represents both players.