The other day, we featured Guy Charron in an article. It seems fitting that we move on to Simon Nolet. Why? Because I always get the two mixed up. They both played prominent roles in the two year history of the Kansas City Scouts. They both are French-Canadian. They both sort of look alike. Other than that, there’s really not that much in common…
Simon Nolet
Nolet saw his first action in the National Hockey League during the 1967-68 season but didn’t become a full-time regular until 1970-71. Simon saw action in the American Hockey League as far back as 1961-62 but it wasn’t until expansion doubled the NHL’s size from six to twelve teams in 1967 that he, like so many, got his chance. Between 1967-68 and 1976-77, he played 562 regular season games in the NHL with the Flyers, Scouts, Penguins and Colorado Rockies, scoring 150 goals and assisting on 182 for 332 points.
However, in that 1967-68 season, Nolet played just four games with the Philadelphia Flyers. The rest of the year was spent with the Quebec Aces, the only AHL team he would ever play for. Simon scored 44 goals and added 52 assists for 96 points with Quebec. He led the AHL in points and was awarded the John B. Sollenberger Trophy for his efforts. It was a tight race, finishing just one point ahead of Bob Barlow of the Rochester Americans.
In 1967-68, the Quebec Aces reached the Calder Cup finals with the help of Simon Nolet before losing to the Rocherster Americans in six games. The following year, Nolet played a greater role with the Flyers but was returned to the Aces for the playoffs. Once again, Quebec reached the finals but were denied the Calder Cup championship, losing to the Hershey Bears.
Of course, the greatest year of Simon Nolet’s NHL career came in 1973-74 with Philadelphia taking out the Boston Bruins in the finals to win their first Stanley Cup championship. Nolet appeared in 15 of the team’s 17 playoff games.
Simon Nolet Collection
The following year, Nolet was scooped up by the Kansas City Scouts in the 1974 expansion draft with the Scouts and Washington Capitals entering the NHL for the 1974-75 season. Simon acted as team captain of the Scouts for the 1974-75 season and also the 1975-76 season until he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has the distinction of scoring the first ever goal for the Kansas City. The Scouts became the Colorado Rockies in 1976-77 and are the present day New Jersey Devils.
Nolet was returned to the Colorado Rockies for the 1976-77 season and once again took over the role of team captain. It would prove to be his final year in the National Hockey League.
Simon appeared in two NHL All-Star Games over his career. In 1971-72, he represented the Philadelphia Flyers. In 1974-75, he was the lone player from the Kansas City Scouts.
Simon Nolet Rookie Card
The Simon Nolet rookie card appears as number 187 in the 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee set. The card is worth about 50% more than a common card from the same set. Topps did not include Nolet in a set until 1972-73 when he appeared on card number 26.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1961-62 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1964-65 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1965-66 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 61 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 12 |
| 1966-67 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 66 | 32 | 24 | 56 | 28 |
| 1967-68 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 70 | 44 | 52 | 96 | 45 |
| 1967-68 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1968-69 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 33 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 28 |
| 1968-69 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 35 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 8 |
| 1969-70 | Quebec Aces | AHL | 22 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 14 |
| 1969-70 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 56 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 36 |
| 1970-71 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 74 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 42 |
| 1971-72 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 67 | 23 | 20 | 43 | 22 |
| 1972-73 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 70 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 6 |
| 1973-74 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 52 | 19 | 17 | 36 | 13 |
| 1974-75 | Kansas City Scouts | NHL | 72 | 26 | 32 | 58 | 30 |
| 1975-76 | Kansas City Scouts | NHL | 41 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 16 |
| 1975-76 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 39 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 2 |
| 1976-77 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 52 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 10 |
| NHL Totals | 562 | 150 | 182 | 332 | 187 |