DRAFT TARGET | Giant defenseman is making waves days before the draft: Could be a late first-round steal
The Vancouver Canucks have been linked with several names they could select with the 11th overall pick in next week's Entry Draft down in Nashville. Among the names they've been linked to include: Zach Benson, Tom Willander, Nate Danielson, Dalibor Dvorsky and Matthew Wood.
But there's another name that Vancouver Canucks fans should familiarize themselves with over the next seven-to-nine days and that is Russian defenceman Dmitri Simashev.
Canucks reporter Chris Faber posted a highlight video of Simashev on his Twitter account and there's a lot to like about the blueliner's game.
For starters, he's a very smooth skater, moves the puck well and plays a strong two-way game. The Canucks reportedly want to add some size through the draft and Simashev fits that mold. He's a big body at 6'4", 201 pounds and brings plenty of toughness to the lineup whenever he plays.
Simashev is currently under contract with KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl until after the 2024-25 season, but Faber expects him to be in the National Hockey League for the 2025-26 season and by the time he's 21 or 22, he could become a top-pairing defenceman.
The Kostroma native sits 19th on the final NHL Central Scouting rankings among European Skaters. He finished the 2022-23 season with ten points in 29 MHL games with Loko Yaroslavl, adding six points in ten playoff games. He also appeared in 18 KHL games, but didn't record any points.
| POLL | ||
Would you be happy if the Canucks took Dmitri Simashev 11th overall? | ||
| Yes | 167 | 34.9 % |
| No, better prospects may be available | 222 | 46.3 % |
| Unsure | 90 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
