Simashev’s Growth and Strong Play Earns AHL All-Star Honors

After a strong start to his professional hockey career in North America, defenseman Dmitri Simashev will play in his first AHL All-Star game at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic. It’s a significant achievement and shows the impact Simashev has had in Tucson.

“That’s a real feather in his cap,” Utah Mammoth Assistant General Manager and Tucson Roadrunners General Mananger John Ferguson said on Simashev’s AHL All-Star nod. “It’s something to be proud of. The list of NHL players that have come to the American League and been named AHL All-Stars is significant, and there are high-end players. We think he’s one of them, without question.”

After playing 24 games with the Utah Mammoth to start his North American professional career, Simashev went to the American Hockey League and joined the Tucson Roadrunners. During his time with Tucson, he’s taken steps with his game and has 14 points in his first 14 games (4G, 10A). This opportunity with the Roadrunners has allowed the rookie to play meaningful minutes and gain valuable experience that will help him in the future.

“He’s really engaged as a teammate,” Ferguson said of Simashev joining Tucson. “He dug in as a pro and preparing to play. His practice weeks have been tremendous, on and off the ice. On the ice, he’s really put into meaningful situations at both ends. (Simashev) has demonstrated an offensive capability that he’s blended so well with his two-way game and his mobility and his length.

“He’s shown an ability to score in overtime and possess pucks, and defend well,” Ferguson continued. “He shares the puck, he’s got a very capable, heavy, hard one-time shot that maybe in his previous years … (he) wasn’t put in the same situations that he’s getting at the American League level. Situations, we believe, he’s going to be able to graduate (from and) when (he) graduates back to the NHL and gets back to Utah. He’s down (in Tucson) doing great things with meaningful minutes, heavy minutes, minutes in situations that we project him to be able to absorb and do great things with at the NHL level, at the appropriate time.”

As others like Dylan Guenther did before him, Simashev is embracing his time in Tucson to improve his game and prepare for a return to the NHL.

“(Simashev) is doing that, and there’s no question, he is developing and developing very well,” Ferguson shared. “Certainly, on schedule and embracing the opportunity to play high, heavy minutes at certainly the second highest professional level in North America and often times, the world.

“It’s going to instill in him the confidence that he’s capable of all those things,” Ferguson continued. “He’s proving that he’s not only embraced it, but he’s excelling with these minutes.”

Photo by: Kate Dibildox