Former TSN 1200 personality and longtime Ottawa-area media member Shawn Simpson passed away on Wednesday. He was 56 years old.
Brent Wallace announced the news on the Coming In Hot podcast, which Simpson had previously co-hosted.
“I’m not sure really what to say as I’ve tried to figure out what the right words were,” Wallace said. “He was very open about dealing with his battles with mental health and dealing with some other stuff. We worked to try to get him some help. In the end, we weren’t successful.”
Simpson was drafted by the Washington Capitals as a goaltender in 1986 and spent three seasons with the AHL’s Baltimore Skipjacks before calling it quits. He was also a member of Canada’s 1987 World Juniors team. He worked for TSN 1200 in Ottawa from the station’s launch in 2013 until his termination in 2023.
Former TSN 1200 radio colleague and current Ottawa Senators VP of communications Ian Mendes posted a lengthy tribute on X.
“We made radio magic each day and coming into work together was a pleasure — not a chore,” Mendes wrote. “The demons you wrestled with on a daily basis really only came to light for me about two years ago. My only wish is that you are now free from that pain and agony. You are a beautiful, kind soul who didn’t deserve the weight you carried. Nobody does… I will cherish our memories and my only hope is that we’ll get to do another show together on the other side.”
TSN host James Duthie was also among those posting tributes to Simpson.
“Devastating to hear of the passing of Shawn Simpson. A good Gloucester boy… we had some great summer nights on Stoney Monday’s patio way back in the day. Was proud to watch him get drafted… play pro… and then become a constant hockey voice on Ottawa radio,” Duthie wrote on X. “Much love to Shawn’s family and many friends.”
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