Article content

Former NHL tough guy Chris Simon says the millions he made playing hockey are gone and that he’s now surviving on social assistance and disability cheques.

It’s a dramatic picture, painted by Simon himself in court documents, as he files for bankruptcy and struggles with a debt he pegs at more than half a million dollars.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ex-NHL enforcer Chris Simon files for bankruptcy, court documents say he's broke Back to video

The debts of the former NHL player, who collected more than $15 million US in salary over a 20-year career, include more than three years of missed child-support payments, totalling $128,875 after his hockey career ended due to a knee injury, according to documents filed with the Ottawa family court.

Simon has asked the court to forgive the child-support debt, claiming he hasn’t had any significant income for years and is now unable to work because of injuries suffered during his playing career.

That included symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which he said are “thought to be attributable to significant brain trauma during his hockey career.”