Utah’s hockey future could get a major boost next season, with two of their top Russian prospects potentially making the jump to North America.
Team GM Bill Armstrong thinks there’s a good chance we’ll see both defenseman Dmitri Simashev and forward Daniil But in Utah jerseys when the puck drops next fall.
The two youngsters currently play for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in Russia’s KHL, where they just helped sweep their first-round playoff series.
But’s been the more impressive of the two lately. The 12th overall pick has put up some solid numbers this year – 9 goals and 28 points in 56 games, good enough for seventh on his team in scoring.
Simashev’s path hasn’t been quite as smooth. The sixth overall pick was actually ranked way lower – 19th among European skaters – before Utah surprised everyone by grabbing him so early. He’s managed just 5 goals and 16 points in 119 games with Lokomotiv.
Some think he could use another year of development back in Russia.
The good news? Both guys have NHL-ready size and aren’t afraid to throw their weight around on the ice.
But fitting them into the lineup might be tricky. Utah’s already got six defensemen under contract for next season, which means some roster shuffling might be needed this summer.
For Simashev especially, the team will need to figure out where he fits. Bringing him over just to practice wouldn’t make much sense.
Still, having two promising prospects potentially ready to make the leap is pretty exciting for Utah fans. The next few months should give us a better idea of whether these Russian talents will be wearing Utah colors come October.
