One of the worst draft busts in the NHL? Now the comparison looks ruthless

The Arizona Coyotes’ 2023 NHL draft decision sparked strong reactions when the team unexpectedly selected Russian defenseman Dmitri Simashev as the sixth player overall.

The decision faced harsh criticism on social media in the summer of 2023.

– On behalf of Philadelphia Flyers fans: thank you, one fan rejoiced at the time.

– Terrible, terrible pick, another condemned.

– The team is one big meme, a third assessed.

The criticism did not arise from nowhere. Simashev was not expected to be anywhere near the sixth overall pick in most pre-draft evaluations, with many experts predicting he would go significantly later. Some even considered it possible that the 195-centimeter defenseman would not fit into the first two rounds at all.

At the time of the draft, Simashev’s resume was still quite thin. He had played 18 games in the KHL without any points, and in the MHL, he recorded 10 points in 29 games with a line of 1+9=10.

The Coyotes could have used the same draft pick on forwards Matvei Mitshkov or Ryan Leonard. Both were selected immediately after Simashev.

Three years later, the Coyotes’ decision has come under scrutiny again.

Currently part of the Utah Mammoth (formerly Arizona Coyotes) organization, 21-year-old Simashev played 28 games in the NHL last season and recorded one assist (0+1). Next season, he is expected to play in the third pairing in Utah.

So far, Simashev has not been able to meet the expectations that typically come with being the sixth overall pick. At the same time, Leonard and Mitshkov, who were drafted after him, have taken on significant roles in their respective NHL teams and established themselves as quality players.