Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Dmitri Simashev

The defenseman made his Roadrunners debut on the first defensive pairing with Scott Perunovich, another player who helped younger guys like Max Szuber throughout the season. While Simashev struggled in his first two games, he broke through in his third game against the San Jose Barracuda, producing his first AHL point via an assist on Ben McCartney’s goal. 

In the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Simashev was never an offensive guy. In the NHL, he obviously wasn’t either. For whatever reason, it all clicked in the AHL. His assist against the Barracuda kicked off a six-game point streak that stretched into January. That included his first AHL goal, which was an overtime winner against the Bakersfield Condors and a three-assist night in the very next game. That six-game streak ended up being the longest point streak by a Roadrunner player during the season.

A game after his point streak ended, Simashev once again had a three-assist night, this time in the second game of a series against the Iowa Wild. Performing well in his new role as the Roadrunners’ number one defenseman both defensively and offensively, the defenseman was named the team’s all-star selection. He was the first Roadrunners defenseman to earn that honor since 2020.

Simashev was called back up to the Mammoth at the end of January. Although he skated with the team and participated in warmups in a game against the Florida Panthers, the defenseman didn’t play a game and was sent down three days later. A late return and illness kept him out of the Roadrunners’ final series of the month against the Colorado Eagles.

To begin February, Simashev was named the AHL’s Upper Deck Rookie of the Month after producing 11 points in January, the second most among AHL rookies. After returning to the Roadrunners, Simashev played three games before heading to Rockford for the AHL All-Star game, producing three points in that time span.

During All-Star weekend, Simashev participated in the CCM fastest skater contest (placing second on the Western Conference team), the CCM hardest shot contest, and the Upper Deck breakaway relay. In the actual game, Simashev produced a single assist, helping the Pacific Division win the All-Star challenge title.

After returning from Rockford and a quick call-up to the NHL during the Olympic break, Simashev continued producing at a consistent rate with the Roadrunners. His ice time continued to rise, peaking at around 25 minutes, playing around 41 shifts a night. It also helped that But was also on the Roadrunners, giving Simashev a very familiar face to be around.

When the trade deadline came around at the beginning of March, Simashev got another call-up. This time, due to MacKenzie Weegar and Sergachev not being available, he played in a game. In his first NHL action since December, the defenseman played around 12 minutes on a pairing with Nick DeSimone.

Despite a solid game, Simashev was sent back down to the Roadrunners once Weegar joined the Mammoth. Finding himself on a pairing with Maveric Lamoureux and Robbie Russo, the defenseman continued being one of the most important players for the team. In his final 10 AHL games, Simashev put up seven points. 

He also became a big part of the locker room. When Michael Hrabal joined the Roadrunners, Simashev was one of the first players to introduce himself to his new teammate. Players and coaches alike had high praise for the defenseman’s work ethic and overall improvement. One final NHL call-up was definitely earned after helping keep a flawed Roadrunners team in playoff contention.

It came at the start of April as the defenseman was recalled after a John Marino injury. Playing in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Simashev had his first NHL fight against Charles Alexis Legault. All season long, the message from coaches and management was for him to get more physical. The fight was just the final cherry on top from Simashev, showing how much he improved in all aspects of his game.

Simashev played in two more games before the playoffs rolled around. Despite being with the Mammoth during their series against the Golden Knights, the defenseman didn’t appear in a single game as his team was knocked out in six games.

There was one more piece of news that came out before the end of the season. Simashev was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading all rookie defensemen in points per game (.88). He was also third in assists and points and fifth in goals.

The Future

Similar to But, Simashev improved so much throughout the season. Time in the AHL really helped the defenseman adjust to playing higher minutes, something that will be expected out of him in the NHL soon.

However, Simashev might’ve had the more impressive season out of the two Russian rookies. No one expected the defenseman to put up 35 points in 40 AHL games. He had never shown that offensive production before. Simashev also earned two great AHL achievements. While he probably would’ve rather taken an NHL call-up over being named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and an all-star, they’re still two accolades that show he’s a very promising player.

Something that really helped Simashev, too, is that he was playing with so many solid defensemen in both the AHL and NHL. Sergachev, Cole, Russo, and Perunovich are all guys who have played pro hockey for so long, while playing with Szuber and Lamoureux allows the defenseman to play and grow with guys his age. Simashev learned what it takes to win in North America and thrive at the NHL level.

“(I learned to) be more consistent,” Simashev said. “It’s the problem for young guys when they play five games, and you have one or two bad games. You need to be more consistent. Guys like Cole and Sergachev. Sergey won two Stanley Cups and played in three finals. It’s really good for me to see how they’re preparing for games, how they control their emotions.”

Simashev improved offensively, defensively, and most importantly, physically, something the Mammoth management wanted to see this season. With all the leaps and bounds made in the AHL, mixed in with quite a few NHL appearances, you’d think that Simashev plays mainly with the Mammoth next season.

Unfortunately for Simashev, it’s not as easy as one might think, especially in his position. The Mammoth have five of their seven main defensemen signed for next season. It’s unclear if they bring back Cole and DeSimone after decent seasons for both of them, ending with a playoff appearance. It creates a big obstacle, hurting Simashev’s chances of being a mainstay on the blueline next season.

While another season in the AHL won’t hurt Simashev (playing on a team that will likely have a lot of future top Mammoth players could be a great experience), he’s arguably the most ready prospect for a full-time NHL gig. Simashev’s European assignment clause kicks in next season as well. It’s not likely that the clause is ever even brought up in conversation, but it is something that exists.

Sure, Simashev’s production struggled at the NHL level, but that’s not why he was drafted. He was drafted to be a very good defensive defenseman who doesn’t shy away from physicality and can pitch in assists throughout the season. He lived up to that role pretty decently throughout the season. Simashev is ready for the NHL. Even if he spends some time back in the AHL next season, he should be with the Mammoth full-time by the end of the season.

Overall Grade

Success doesn’t always rely on production. That’s a reminder to those who judge Simashev’s NHL rookie season. While he struggled at first at the NHL level, by the time Game 82 rolled around, that was no longer the case. Simashev’s height absolutely helps him play well as an NHL player, but his skating, skill, and improved physicality help him be a future top-four defenseman.

Simashev showed at the AHL level that there also might be more to his game than expected. Offensive production might be a part of his game. There’s certainly room to improve there in the NHL. We’ll see after his first NHL offseason if that can be something he brings to the Mammoth.

Overall, Simashev is getting a B-plus for his season. In the AHL, he was the Roadrunners’ best defenseman, helping the team stay in the playoff hunt until he was called up permanently in April and received two accolades proving just how effective he was. In the NHL, he adjusted as time went on. While there’s more potential to be tapped into, if Simashev can be this comfortable with the Mammoth now, the best is yet to come.

Next season should be one of even more growth for Simashev. Can he bring his offensive consistency to the NHL level? Is he going to stay with the Mammoth for the whole season? Those are the two big questions that he’ll need to answer going into training camp and preseason. However, it was a great rookie season for Simashev, one that showed he will be a top-four defenseman on the Mammoth eventually.