The 32-year-old forward scored 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 68 games with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils last season, including one assist in seven games after he was traded to Buffalo on Feb. 24.
"I was born and raised in Scarborough (Ontario) … I think this was a perfect spot to be not only on the ice but obviously off the ice as well, so it was a pretty easy decision," Simmonds said. "I think my playing style is a complement to some of the stars on the team. I think I can help loosen it up a bit. And obviously, I'm a team-first guy, so if anything happens to the boys I'll be the first to get in there.
"I think I play the game the right way. I finish my checks, I never bail out and I'm always there for my teammates, so I honestly think that that's kind of what enticed the Maple Leafs."
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Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (No. 61) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Simmonds has 499 points (251 goals, 248 assists) in 909 regular-season games with the Sabres, Devils, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Kings. He has 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 44 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I honestly hope to come in and … I'll work my way through the lineup," Simmonds said. "You know they need a little bit of toughness and I think I can definitely [help], but at the same time I'm a hockey player as well."
Simmonds was drawn to the talent on the Maple Leafs and believes he'll be a natural fit.
"It's unbelievable. I think it's second to none in the League," he said. "I think what I bring as a player complements it very well, so obviously what I'm trying to look to do here is just come in and play my game, play my style, don't change much and hope to complement what they already have in place and just bring my attitude, my leadership, be a piece of the puzzle to hopefully bring a championship to Toronto."
Simmonds has scored at least 22 goals six times in his NHL career, including five straight seasons from 2013-18, but has scored 25 goals in the past two seasons.
"I've been in the gym for probably about four months now and I'm just going to continue to build my power, build my strength and get back to the player I know I can be," he said. I realize I've had a couple of down years here but I'm an extremely confident person. I know what I can do. My faith in myself never wavers, I know what I bring to the table, and I'm in peak physical shape right now, so I'm definitely prepared to bring as much as I can to the Maple Leafs. I'm extremely excited to get into the rink, meet some of the guys and start working."
Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas believes Simmonds will have an impact in the locker room as well as on the ice.
"It's just about what we saw as a potential fit here and what he could bring to the club in terms of his character and his contributions in the locker room, which we knew from his previous experiences," Dubas said. "… We feel he's healthy now. We can have a good grasp on the health issues that have plagued him for the last couple of seasons and we're looking forward to him working with our performance team and medical team here to get them up and rolling, and we think we have a really solid role for him on the ice.
"It's not just one of these pure off-ice fits, or anything like that. We think he's going to be a very good player for us this season and we're excited to have him here."
A number of Toronto players have already reached out to Simmonds.
"I think I've had 13 or 14 guys already message me, so it's been unbelievable," he said. [Frederik] Andersen, [Zach] Hyman, so many … The excitement that they have that I'm also coming to the organization, I think that's mutual. You know I feel a love right now, so it's awesome. Thank you."
