Dmitri Simashev is a defenseman that has had the NHL scouting community in heated debates. He is a 6'4" smooth skating defenseman that scored 1 goal and 9 assists in 29 MHL games. He then produced 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 MHL playoff games. Simashev is a phenomenal skater and has shown remarkable puckhandling skills. He was regarded as more of a shutdown defender than an offensive one this season. He can keep pace with any forward and brings a nice physical element as well. He is a polarizing prospect in the scouting community because he is Russian and the IQ part of his game is questionable. On Pronamn's (from the Athletic) poll of NHL scouts and execs, there were a lot of them that said Simashev is a top 10 player in the draft. One of them said he was a top 5 player. He is a true wildcard in the draft and my best guess is he falls into the 9-18 range of the draft. I am not very high on him as a player because I think the brain doesn't match the body. Time and time again players with below average hockey IQ dissapoint.
Simashev excels everywhere in the skating part of hockey. His edgework is great, fundamentals are beautiful, pivots are on point, and his top speed is good. His puckhandling abilities are in line with the rhythem of his skating. He looks so graceful out there. This is how he is able to move around so many players and make highlight reel dekes. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much finish in his game. His shot is a bit of a muffin and the accuracy is off. Shooting is a minute detail in the game of hockey, particularly for a defender. Shooting is one of the easiest traits to improve, so I'm not worried there.
Decision making is the biggest question mark I have for Simashev. When he has the puck on his stick, he makes poor passes frequently. This happens a lot at full speed. This scares me because quick decision making isn't something that gets improved upon. Reactionary actions are built in habbits that are ever so difficult to change. If I see a player with brains that don't match the body, I am very cautious about them. I also don't love his offensive instincts. They are very poor and can be a chemistry killer. I have seen him bust his ass up the ice just to shoot the puck into the goalies chest on a 2 on 1. This is why I think his offensive upside is capped. If your team does draft Simashev, they are getting a 6'4" above average skating defensive defenseman with potential to be a good puck moving defenseman as well.
Below is his Elite Prospects page
Elite Prospect's page for Dmitri Simashev1/4 Below Average
3/4 Above Average
1/4 Below Average
2/4 Average
4/4 Elite
Below are some sources to look at for visual demonstration;