I’ve talked about several of the prospects that are going to be available during the 2023 NHL draft so far and the Rangers have not exactly given me much else to talk about so here we are going through some more. Nashville will host the draft towards the end of the month and the busy final weeks of the season will be fast approaching. At the conclusion of the draft, teams have to get ready for the qualifying offer deadline for restricted free agents, and then free agency.
Before all of that though, we get to the draft floor and today to Russian defenseman Dmitri Simashev. Russians have been very few and far between when we talk about the Rangers’ draft resume. With the current political climate, the value of Russian players in the draft has dropped a ton and it means that someone like Simashev may be available later than otherwise projected due to the current stigma.
Listed at 6’4, 200 lbs on EliteProspects, this is a big man who has all the skill in the world to match the giant stature he possesses. While his offensive totals are not special, he’s capable of being a defensive force and his time in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) proved it this season. His time at Lokomotiv Yaroslavl shows that and as he went down the Russian tiers, his offense picked up, proving he’s got some ability in the offensive end.
What makes Simashev so desirable is his elegant skating. While he’s not the fastest, he’s certainly up there and he can get great power in those big strides. If he gets a step on an attacking player, he’s going to win that race in almost all situations and it makes him the kind of player the Rangers need. A great skater whose also big in terms of physique and has the ability to lay the body when it is required.
This is another player that seems to split opinions. Some have Simashev in the 2nd round, but EliteProspects has him as high as 10th. 23rd may be a little early for him in the eyes of some and others may think if he drops that far, someone has committed larceny. There are certainly interesting things the Blueshirts could do with a prospect like this.