Utah’s Prospect Simashev on Moving to the NHL this Summer, Progress in Current Season – The Hockey Writers Utah Hockey Club Prospects Latest News, Analysis & More

2023 NHL Entry Draft’s sixth overall pick Dmitri Simashev is having yet another strong season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The blueliner has one goal and six points through 41 regular-season games, but most importantly, has seen his average time-on-ice go up once again, surpassing 16 minutes this season, against 14 in 2023-24, anchoring the blue line for the top team in the league.

In this translated interview, the Utah HC’s draftee talked about his decision to move to North America after his contract runs out next May, his progress as a player, playing with Alexander Radulov, and his influences among NHL active defensemen.

**You can read the original talk with Dmitri Simashev by Pavel Lysenkov in his native Russian on the match.tv website**

Many consider Lokomotiv a different team after last year’s 4-0 loss to Metallurg in the Gagarin Cup Final. “We didn’t rebuild anything,” Simashev says. “We just started playing more actively. I won’t go into details about the different plays; we adapt to the situation. I can say that we’re now playing more actively in the offensive and defensive zones, as well as in our setups. Nothing major was changed; we just had some adjustments here and there.”

Related: Utah’s Daniil But Off to Scorching Start in KHL

In the offseason, Lokomotiv didn’t make many moves, but one of the top signings was Alexander Radulov. The veteran forward has more than 500 NHL games under his belt. “He’s a true leader, and that’s not an exaggeration,” Simashev praises his new teammate. “Radulov’s energy resonates throughout the locker room, even affecting me. I watch what he does on the ice. It’s incredibly important for all the young guys to have a legendary player like him by their side. It’s really cool and important.”

Learning to Win by Losing

Last spring, Simashev lost two finals—KHL and MHL—within just 24 hours. It must have been a good lesson for the young player. “That was a tough time,” the d-man admits. “First, we lost to Metallurg with Lokomotiv, and then with Loko, we fell to SKA-1946. For a week or two afterward, I wouldn’t say I was out of it, but it was really upsetting. Still, it was a huge learning experience—playing almost a full KHL season, including the playoffs, at 19 years old.”

“We lost in the Gagarin Cup Final, and literally the next day, I had to head to the junior team for another decisive match. The contrast—having to forget what happened the day before and fight for another Cup—was challenging. That experience toughens you up. Now, when you go through tough moments, you realize you’ve already been through the fire, and it’s hard to break you anymore.”

Moving to Utah

It’s still unclear whether Simashev will move to the Utah Hockey Club next season. However, it seems that he already knows. “I have made a decision, but I’m not going to share it for now,” he says. He also confirmed that he has been talking with the team’s representatives. “We are in touch, but it’s mostly basic questions like, ‘How are you doing? How do you feel? What kind of physical shape are you in?’ I’m playing for Lokomotiv right now. NHL clubs can’t give me direct guidance on how to prepare or what to do. I think it’s the same with Ivan Demidov from SKA and the delegation from Montreal. They communicate on a similar level. They don’t interfere in our affairs and understand that my focus is here. I’m not in America; I’m in Russia. And our goal is to win the Gagarin Cup.”

An attribute that will certainly help Simashev in his transition to the more demanding North American hockey is his size. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing more than 200 pounds, he has an NHL frame. “I weigh 96 kg [211 pounds] right now. I don’t think I need more. I feel comfortable at this weight.”

Evolving the Game

He’s also commented on how the game is evolving on the blue line. “There are a lot of defensemen now who are tall, but also very mobile. There are plenty of examples. For instance, Simon Edvinsson plays for Detroit. He’s from 2003 and over two meters tall, but he moves like a smaller defenseman. So, the evolution is leaning toward every defenseman, regardless of size, being able to play offensively and have great skating.”

There’s a lot of talk right now about Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. He’s one of the Calder Trophy candidates and could be the best rookie of the season. Simashev apparently is a fan. “He plays very intriguingly on offense,” he explains. “But for me, there are three purely offensive defensemen in the NHL I watch the most: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and now Hutson. It’s clear that he is young, and he makes mistakes. But over time, I think he’ll be like Hughes, if not even better. This is the type of purely offensive defenseman. Other guys, like Rasmus Dahlin or Miro Heiskanen, are more all-around players, focused more strictly on defense.”

Sergachev and Simashev

When Simashev attended Utah’s summer camp, he mentioned that he was impressed by defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. He seems to be happy with Sergachev’s move to Utah from Tampa. “I believe that in hockey, technique and skating are very important. But one of the most crucial aspects is confidence in yourself and trust from the coach. When you have those, you’ll score points and play a lot. But if the coach doesn’t believe in you and you’re not confident, it’s hard to beat anyone or score goals. And with Sergachev, the coaches trust him, and he believes in himself. It’s great to see how his career has taken off.”

It will also be interesting to see whether Simashev decides to go to the NHL, would it be together with his teammate and friend, forward Daniil But. “Honestly, I’m not lying—we hardly talk about it,” the d-man admits. “Why would we? Everything has its time. When the moment comes, we’ll discuss it. How can you make plans now with the current state of the world? Things could change literally overnight. Of course, I have made my decision. I think But has his decision too. We’re just not announcing it. I only share it with my family.”

And with two such good prospects in the pipeline, Utah’s future is bright at both ends of the ice. Both players’ contracts run out next May 31.