Written by: Scott Savard
Okotoks, AB (November 3, 2025) – Okotoks Oilers rookie defenceman, Gabe Simpson, has grown as a player across the USA before making his way north of the border for the first time in his life this season as he joined the Green and Gold.
Simpson was born in Lafayette, Colorado, and grew up around the Denver area until he was around 14 years old.
“It’s pretty similar to Calgary, kind of feels like home. I actually don’t live in Denver anymore; I live in Iowa, so it’s different,” Simpson said.
“I lived in Denver until I think I was 14, then during the summer in my U15 year, I moved to Minnesota. My parents lived in Minnesota, and then I went to Mount Saint Charles in Rhode Island. I was there for eight months of the year, and then the next summer after my U15 year, I moved to Iowa. My parents stayed in Minnesota for that whole year (his U15 season), and then we moved to Iowa, and I was in Chicago. Now my parents still live in Iowa,” he explained about his travels.
On top of moving around when he was younger, Simpson, who had options of teams to play for this season, tested out two teams with the Aberdeen Wings (NAHL) and Wenatchee Wild (WHL), before deciding the Okotoks Oilers were the team best suited for his growth in the game of hockey.
Simpson joked that he finally just sorted out his suitcase full of clothes and is feeling at home for the first time this season.
“When I first got here, I was really excited for sure. Obviously, this is my first time in Canada, so definitely a pretty cool experience being in Canada, definitely a lot better than the US, I think,” Simpson teased.
“The moment I got here, met the team, the coaches, got acquainted with everybody, I was like ‘Yeah, this is the spot, ‘ so, really enjoying it and loving it here so far.”
He added that the coaching staff has really helped him improve his confidence in his ability and to help make him a better player each time he steps out on the ice. Simpson gave a shoutout to assistant coach Reid Hnatowich, who works with the defencemen.
“He has definitely given me that confidence. He’s let me make my own mistakes and learn from them, so that’s all you can really ask for in a coach,” he said about Hnatowich.
Simpson added that having Tyler Deis and Corban Knight helping with his growth is an experience you can’t buy, as both had long careers as players in professional hockey.
Another professional hockey player who has helped Simpson become the player he is today is former Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jacket, and Edmonton Oiler Jan Hejda, as he is Simpson’s agent.
“It’s awesome, I’ve known him since I was probably eight years old. He’s more like a family friend, and it’s pretty crazy to say that I have a former NHL player as a family friend. He’s always been there for me, and ever since probably my (U15) year, I’ve had him in my corner. He’s helped me out a ton, on the ice and off the ice, mental preparation, and all kinds of stuff,” Simpson said about Hejda.
He added that it’s pretty crazy that he was an Avalanche fan growing up and watched Hejda play, to now having him as his agent and close friend.
“I skate with him during the summers, and every time I mishandle the puck or something or whatever, he goes ‘Hey, use my stick’. Mind you, his stick, the worst curve of all time. Also, it’s 100 flex, so no, not doing that,” he joked about Hejda.
While Simpson has been all over, Okotoks is quickly rising to the top of his list of places he’s played hockey.
“This has probably been one of my favourite places that I have been. It’s not like a middle-of-nowhere place, but it’s a small town, a small community that’s 40 minutes outside of Calgary. It’s a really cool little town, and I really love it here,” Simpson said about Okotoks.
He mentioned that he also loves Iowa and the people out there, but is embracing his time in Wild Rose Country, and more specifically, the Foothills.
Simpson credits his parents, Carl and Marvinna, for getting him into the game played on ice, as both are fans of the game.
“Honestly, I only remember this because my parents tell me this. Basically, my dad grew up watching Gretzky and stuff, my mom’s always been a hockey fan. Her and her brother always used to go to Avs games; they had season tickets for a while,” he mentioned about his parents’ love for the game.
“Obviously, my dad was growing up watching Gretzky, which is crazy and also shows how old my dad is,” Simpson teased about his dad, Carl. “It’s pretty awesome, they let me choose what sport I wanted to play, they just didn’t want me playing football. They let me play all different kinds of sports, and I chose hockey and didn’t look back.”
Carl played football as a running back growing up and understood the short career spans for players due to the contact in the sport, so he thought it was best for Simpson to avoid pursuing a future on the gridiron.
“It’s nuts, they are such a good support system. Definitely, since I moved out, we have built more of an adult relationship, I guess, because I have to manage my own life basically. But honestly, me leaving home is the best thing that has happened because we have become so much closer. Our relationship, all three of us, we like to call ourselves the ‘Three Musketeers’, all of us against the world,” he added about his relationship with his parents.
Simpson grew up as an only child, but said he never felt like an only child as his family would billet players from Russia and Belarus, who he still keeps in touch with today. He also added that when he was around 11 or 12, one of Marvinna’s friends, who was around 19 at the time, moved in and became an older sister figure to Simpson.
Bev Lee, who billets Simpson, has a great relationship with the defenceman from Mile High City and has made a positive impact already in their short time together. Simpson said, “Bev is awesome,” and described how both Bev and he throw chrips at each other. He added that it’s felt like he’s lived there for a full year and joked he’s finally unpacked so that his room feels more like a home.
Simpson explained that one of his roommates from the Oilers, Michael Mikan (Edina, MN), used to play against Simpson before they both made the trip to Okotoks. He added that it’s cool to get to know Mikan more, as they are on the same squad, and said he’s happy Mikan’s on his side this season. Some other Oilers Simpson knew before making his way to Okotoks were Holden Pajor (Eden Prairie, MN), Marko Lisica (Plainview, NY), and Joey Gugino (Buffalo, NY).
“As good as it is to have familiar faces, it’s also good to have a brand new team. It’s awesome to meet new guys and have that group together,” he said.
He would also give praise to the leadership group, as he feels there is a lot of veteran leadership on the team. As for the defensive group, Simpson was excited when talking about to potential this group has moving forward.
“There is so much depth, it’s kind of crazy. Pretty open to play with anyone,” Simpson said about the defensive group.
Simpson also praised the BCHL, commenting on how much skill is in the league and the fast pace of the game. He mentioned that coming from the NAHL, where some of the older players are trying to take people’s heads off, the BCHL is a deep league with a ton of skill, and his happy with his choice to join the league this season.
After Simpson’s junior career comes to a close, he plans on attending Lindenwood University for post-secondary hockey. The NCAA Div 1 school also has a commitment from Oilers assistant captain Jacob Goudreau (St. Albert, AB).
“We are both committed there; it’s nice to have someone you know there for sure. But, we don’t talk about it too much,” he said.
He added that St. Louis isn’t new to him, as he went to visit the school, and that his grandparents are from there.
“I feel like just having the education and being able to think past my hockey career was huge. It was more my mom (who pushed him to go to college), but after a while, I kind of caught on and was just like ‘If I get that education, then I can have a successful life after hockey’,” Simpson said about getting a college commitment.
When asked what his thoughts on Canada are so far, he joked by saying, “Well, you call Smarties, Rockets. I’m not really a fan of that. It’s the exact same candy, and you call it Rockets. They are Smarties, they are not Rockets.”
He would add that all-dressed chips were a good Canadian invention, but does not like the Canadian version of Smarties, which are candy-covered chocolate, and reiterated that the Canadian version brings a bad name to the American version of Smarties. Simpson said that he does like using the word “Eh” and considers himself an honorary Canadian.
As for the Green Army, Simpson is locked in during game time, but does notice the fans who come out on a nightly basis who support the Green and Gold.
“Seeing the young kids in the stands and stuff like that, that used to be me. So, I try my best to be a goof sometimes so that way they can see that being in juniors isn’t all serious all the time, you can still have fun. I try to be the best that I can to the kids I do see, and just seeing people in the stands every night is pretty awesome. I can’t wait to see 1,000 plus,” he said about the Green Army.
10 Questions with Gabe Simpson
What is your go-to cheat meal?
“Cheat meal? Oh, jeez, Nutella on toast. I love Nutella.”
What is your favourite sport other than hockey?
“Definitely not football. I hate football and I hate baseball. I kind of watched soccer for a bit. I watched the Premier League for a couple of years. I played a couple of summers, too.” (Later on, Simpson would mention that F1 was another favourite sport of his).
Favourite team and player growing up?
“It’s always been the Avs. Jan Hejda was my favourite… no… Watching Gabe Landerskog, sharing the name, too, I got to meet him, too, which was electric. But, yeah, watching (Landeskog) grow and mature, he’s been captain since he was what, 18? Especially those past few years with the dedication he’s had coming back, and he’s fully back. It’s an unreal story.”
What is your favourite movie and TV show?
“Favourite movie is the F1 movie. Holy crap, that movie is electric. I watched it so many times that my parents bought it. We bought it on Amazon, so now I always have it, and they wanted to do it too. I just pushed them over the edge. I was just like, ‘Come on, guys, let’s do it.’ So that and the Maze Runner series. Love those movies. TV series, it’s stuff like Outer Banks, Stranger Things, and The 100. Right now, I’m watching The 100, it is a show about 100 juvenile kids being put on Earth 100 years after an apocalypse.”
What is your guilty pleasure song?
“I don’t even know, I don’t even know what’s an embarrassing type of song. Lose My Mind (by Don Toliver featuring Doja Cat) or something by Tate McRae.”
What is your secret talent?
“I can play the piano. I can play (the Titanic song) My Heart Will Go On. I’m pretty good at video games, definitely not Rainbow Six Siege, though. I’m pretty garbage at R6, but pretty good at Chel (NHL by EA Sports), and I play F1 a lot. I’m a big fan of F1. I have been to three F1 races.”
If you could relive any day of your life, what day would you relive?
“Even though the game didn’t go well, probably when we went to Everett, when I was still in Wenatchee. That was probably one of the coolest days I think I have ever had.”
Would you rather travel to the past or the future?
“I would say the past, just to see what life was like before (smartphones) and stuff like that. But I mean, I would also want to see the future. How far do we go because there is a lot of talk about people living off the planet and stuff. I want to see if that actually happens.”
If you could meet anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?
“Willie O’Ree. Just talk about what it was like being the first black player in the NHL. In fifth grade, I did a project on him.
Where in the world would you go if I could snap my finger and get you there right now?
“Monaco to watch the F1 race. Me and my dad want to go there so bad. I’ve been to the Austin, Texas roads, I’ve been to Vegas for a race, and I’ve been to a race in the UK. I want to go to Montreal, in the (F1 game) I love that track, so I want to actually go.”
Bonus
Who has the worst stick tape job on the team?
“Joey Gugino by far. He does a ridiculous amount of tape marks, like guy, just use black tape.”
Who on the team would you choose as an Emergency contact?
“Not Calabria. I feel like he would be too busy doing other things (to pick up the phone). When I text Willy (Brett Wilson), he answers. Maybe Willy, Hiks (Jamie Hikida), answers sometimes. I think I’ll probably go Vatis (Ben). I feel like if I actually really needed something, it would be Vatis.”
What is the best advice your parents have ever given you?
“Don’t be an idiot.”
The Okotoks Oilers are a not-for-profit, community-run junior hockey franchise competing in the BCHL and operating out of Viking Rentals Centre. For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com or follow the Oilers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
