Simon continues to grow his game

There are several ways to judge a hockey player: Statistics, both basic and advanced. Watch him, live or on video.
Or talk to his teammates.
That last method yields very positive results when it comes to winger Dominik Simon.

Simon's fellow Penguins praise him effusively. Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Matt Murray are among those who speak highly. Captain Sidney Crosby said that Simon "has one of the top five hockey minds on the team."
Simon has played just 38 NHL regular-season games and eight playoff contests, so he knows he still has much to prove.
But such acclaim is nonetheless a heady brew.
"It's unbelievable," said Simon, 24. "It's great to hear. It gives you confidence.
"A couple years ago, I wouldn't think I'd be here with these players. Now it's normal being with them, on the rink or outside the rink. It's an unbelievable feeling, and I'm really grateful for that."
Simon, a native of the Czech Republic, is looking to solidify his spot in Pittsburgh after compiling four goals and eight assists in 33 games in 2017-18. Simon had three assists in eight playoff games. Simon also played 21 games with the Penguins' Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm team last season, netting four goals and assisting 13 times.
Last season, Simon played right wing on Crosby's line occasionally. As the current preseason winds down, Simon is skating at left wing on a line with center Derick Brassard and right wing Bryan Rust.
"I love it," Simon said. "[Brassard and Rust] are great players. Both are very smart. We play quick hockey. We are looking to be defensively responsible, and trying to put pucks on net. It's good for all of us to play on that line."
Coach Mike Sullivan likes what he's seen of the Simon-Brassard-Rust trio: "They're complementary players. Rusty brings a ton of speed to the line. He's a north-south guy. Brass plays well with north-south guys. Dom Simon is pretty stiff on the puck. He's good in traffic and down underneath the hash marks. He can make plays in tight areas.
"They all have pretty decent offensive instincts. So there's a little bit of everything on that line."
Simon is versatile, which can be a blessing and a curse: Versatility can assure a player of a job, but that job can change constantly.
"I was a center when I started," Simon said. "But when I was 20, I changed to winger.
"Now, I don't care if it's left or right. I'm maybe a little better on the right. But there are positives on the left side, and positives on the right side. Wherever the coach needs me, there's not a huge difference."
The same holds true for whatever line Simon skates on, be it first, second, third or fourth.
"It's not that big of a difference," Simon said. "All four lines play a quick style of hockey. You adjust a little bit [depending on what line], but you don't change your game much."
But, Simon allows, "It's always great to play with Sid on the top line. It's a lot of fun."
Simon hopes to build on his experience from last year.
"Every game [in the NHL] gives you something," Simon said. "Last year I played 33 [regular-season] games. I had been in the organization three years. I was at the [training] camps. I had some [NHL] games the other years before.
"Every game and practice helped me to learn something. I feel like I'm very familiar with the system we play."
Simon is also still adjusting to North American-style hockey. Simon never played in North America prior to being drafted (fifth round, 2015) and making his debut on this continent with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2015-16.
"It's not just the size of the rink that's different, but it makes the game way quicker," Simon said. "The rink is way smaller. Everybody comes at you quicker."
Simon chuckled when his reputation for having a high hockey IQ is cited.
"I'm just trying to play the best that I can," he said. "Trying to stay calm and see things around me. I'm trying to work on all areas of the game. I'm trying to get better at going to the net, shooting more pucks, and seeing other guys, because we have great players."
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).