Meet the Newest Mammoths: Dmitri Simashev and Daniil But

“With Dmitri Simashev, he’s a big man,” Armstrong said. “He might be the biggest d-man I’ve ever drafted with that type of mobility I’ve ever seen in my life. He can cover ground. He’s one of the best skaters. He works at his game. He’s extremely good on the D side of the puck. There’s some room for him to grow offensively and get in the play with his skating. But the things that he’s elite at are skating and defending. It’s truly impressive for his size. He just kept getting better and better during the course of the year and having more impact on the games.”

With the 12th pick, Armstrong took But who wasn’t as much of a surprising pick as Simashev was, but was a bit head-scratching. However, just like he did with Simashev, Armstrong saw a lot of potential with But, not to mention he would be reuniting the two Yaroslavl teammates in North America.

“I think Daniil, he’s a big man who can score, he can make a play,” Armstrong said. “He plays a really North American style, in the sense that you saw in one of the tying goals in double overtime. I think it was in the playoffs, the way he took the puck to the net, and that’s what he does. He plays a North American-style game. He’s extremely aggressive, cutting to the net and occupying the front of the net with elite stick skills. He’s really impressive. His game has come a long way. I said before, Daniil is a massive human being. He’s using learning to use his body more effectively. It takes a while when you’re that big to put the strength on to compete against men. You could see in every one of his games in the KHL, he got better and better.”

Simashev and But returned to the KHL and played between Lokomotiv and their junior team in the MHL. Then, the two took a step forward and played solely in the KHL this past season. A reminder, the KHL is arguably the second-best hockey league in the world behind only the NHL. At only age 20, both Simashev and But were playing with and against grown and talented men, a sign of how mature both are.

But ended the 2024-25 season with 21 points in 55 games, while Simashev had 10 points in 63 games. Both played key minutes throughout Lokomotiv’s championship run and also learned what it’s like to be a part of playoff teams from the experience, and former NHLers like Alexander Radulov.

We’ve seen issues arise between NHL and KHL clubs concerning prospects in the past. However, Lokomotiv was extremely important in helping the Mammoth keep tabs on them. The team allowed the duo to attend the Mammoth’s development camp last summer and also stay in touch with Armstrong and the front office staff. It made the day of the signings even more exciting.

“Through the world of advancement, technology, and everything else, we were able to keep in touch with them the best that we could,” Armstrong said. “Their club enabled us to have them at development camp, which was huge. Lokomotiv was an extremely good club to deal with on our end. They were great, and they allowed the two players to come into development camp and be a part of our culture and stay in touch. There was a lot of planning, but we’re truly excited about this day for them to be able to come in and sign. It’s huge for us.”

What Does Next Season Hold for the Russian Duo?

The first time Mammoth fans can see Simashev and But as official parts of the team will actually be over the summer. The duo is expected to be a part of the Mammoth’s development camp, as they were last summer. 

Development camp is a great opportunity for prospects. It’s the first time they can make an impact on coaches and other staff members in the team’s jerseys. On top of that, they’ll be around plenty of other players their age in similar situations, which could create good lasting relationships and chemistry.

“I like when our players that haven’t played for us before come over for development camp, especially when they’re older players out of Europe,” Armstrong said. “It allows them a good period to get used to the culture in North America. Get familiar with our staff, get familiar with our facilities. They’ll (Simashev and But) play a role as leaders at our development camp, because it’s now their third year coming into our camp, and they’re a little bit older, I think it’s a great time for them to show their leadership skills.”

Armstrong also mentioned development camp is a great time to instill the Mammoth culture in the younger players. The Mammoth have created a very strong locker room culture over the past couple of years, which the front office is very proud of. Teaching how to be a part of that is a crucial part of a player’s development within the organization.

The next opportunity will be training camp, which will be a big event for Simashev and But. While they have their NHL contracts, they have yet to earn their lineup spots. This season, Armstrong expects the Mammoth to make the playoffs. He’ll do whatever it takes with the roster to make that happen. However, he has faith that Simashev and But will appear in the Mammoth’s lineup opening night, come October, especially after the experience they gained in the KHL.

“They’ve played in one of the best leagues in the world in the KHL, and they played on a championship team, so I believe both of them will come into camp, and will have a good opportunity to compete for a job, and I think they’ll be close to making it,” Armstrong said. “Obviously, there’s a transition period playing on a different size rink, and you’re playing North American hockey, there’s a little bit of a transition period that occurs for those guys.” 

As mentioned, there will be a transition from the way hockey is played in the KHL and Europe to how it’s played in the NHL and North America. The rink size is different, and with that, the game is just not the same. A lot of European prospects play some games in the American Hockey League (AHL) to adjust before going to the NHL. There’s obviously a lot that can happen before that decision is made, but the duo’s time in the KHL gives Armstrong the feeling that they might never play a game for the Mammoth’s AHL team in Tucson.

“The American League is a great teacher of the game, and a lot of times, players need it,” Armstrong said. “They need to get touches with the puck, and they need to get those touches in offensive situations. You never want to rule that out. But these guys have played at an elite level over in Russia and played for one of the top teams. They experienced a high-pressure culture where they played. There’s a good opportunity that they might not ever touch the American League. The harder they train in the summer, the more they get accustomed to the systems that we play, the better off they have a chance. There is a good chance that they could be in the NHL and never touch the American League.”

As mentioned before, though, Armstrong expects the Mammoth to make the playoffs. That means cracking the lineup will be tough. There will be no freebies. Looking at the Mammoth’s current blue line, the team will be bringing back the same top seven defensemen that they had last season. It’ll be hard for Simashev to get on that blue line, and the organization certainly doesn’t want him to sit in a press box all season long.

For But, it’s a bit easier. The bottom six for the Mammoth will look drastically different from last season, with players like Michael Carcone leaving. However, Armstrong sees But taking a little bit more time to develop because of his height.

“I think with Daniil’s height, he reminds me of Tage Thompson, and it takes a little bit of time to adjust that size of body to playing in the NHL,” Armstrong said. “He’ll probably have a little bit harder of an adjustment.”

If it comes to it, the AHL and the Tucson Roadrunners will be a perfect place for Simashev and But to develop. Not only has the team developed players like Guenther, Kesselring, and Doan, but they’ll also be a competitive team filled with veterans that the two rookies can learn from next season. On top of that, fellow Russian Artem Duda plays for the Roadrunners, which would be great for Simashev and But to have.

“Sometimes prospects such as Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan, and the Michael Kesselrings of the world have all gone down and made huge strides out of the American League,” Armstrong said. “It’s a great place to play. It’s a great place to develop. Sometimes it leaves a lasting impression on a prospect that there’s only one league to play, and that’s the National Hockey League, and they want to push to get out of the American League. They also know in the back of their mind they needed those touches and they needed to play in those situations to allow them to come up and be an NHL player.”

Speaking of players within the Mammoth organization that the duo can learn from, Mikhail Sergachev might be a critical part in Simashev and But’s development. Before the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Sergachev had spoken to both players. However, he made sure to catch up with them during his offseason return to Russia this summer.

Sergachev attended Game 5 of the KHL Final and watched Simashev and But win the Gagarin Cup. He also hung out with Simashev after the championship game. It’s a representation of the aforementioned strong culture that the Mammoth have built.

“It’s such an easy transition for them in the sense of having a great player, great role model, someone that’s a fellow countryman inside our organization already,” Armstrong said. “I think he (Sergachev) can help teach them what’s not only expected in our league, but also the culture of our team, and what’s coming their way. When you’re a rookie showing up for training camp of a National Hockey League team, it’s hard. I think he’s going to help guide them through all the pitfalls, and I think his impact will be huge on both of them.”

The Future Is Bright for the Mammoth

The final part of adding Simashev and But is that the Mammoth gave both of them a European Assignment Clause in the second year of their contracts. What this means is that if they’re sent down to the AHL, they can trigger the clause and return to Europe for the year. It can be triggered at any point throughout the season. It’s a big indication that both Armstrong and the Russian duo expect them to be a regular part of the Mammoth lineup come the 2026-27 season.

Adding Simashev and But is massive for the Mammoth. They are expected to be a big part of a potential championship. Both know what it takes to win, and Armstrong knows that, which makes him even more excited to put them in the lineup. It adds to the list of champions the Mammoth have. When you have players who know what it takes to win, the winning will eventually come.

“If you keep adding winners, soon enough, you’re going to have an opportunity to win for the Mammoth,” Armstrong said. “It’s something that I love to see in our young players, the winning, and in the championships. It really helps build our culture to the point we’re going to have an opportunity to win a championship here.”

While it might take some more time to win a Stanley Cup, bringing over Simashev and But is massive for the Mammoth. Shalunov scoring that OT goal in Game 5 of the KHL Final wasn’t just a win for Lokomotiv. It was a win for the Mammoth. Maybe one day, it also might result in another championship win for Simashev and But.