Tucson's Dmitri Simashev Named AHL Rookie of Month After 11-Point January

Dmitri Simashev was named the Upper Deck/AHL Rookie of the Month for January after a torrid 10-game stretch that produced 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) for the Tucson Roadrunners. The 6-foot-5, 201-pound rookie defenseman turned heads with consistent playmaking at both ends of the ice and a point-per-game rate that jump-started his season.

Simashev’s January featured several high-water marks. He posted a three-assist outing in a 5-4 overtime win over Iowa on Jan. 10, and he notched assists in back-to-back road wins at Calgary on Jan. 2 and Jan. 4, helping Tucson to 5-2 and 4-0 victories. He closed the month on a run of form, with a three-game point streak from Jan. 21–25 that included five assists. The Tucson release noted: "Simashev capped his strong month with a three-game point streak from Jan. 21–25, recording five assists over that span."

The scoring surge sits inside a broader season profile that has drawn attention from coaches and front offices. TheAHL observed, "Simashev, who turns 21 on Wednesday, has tallied five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 20 games with the Roadrunners, along with one assist in 24 contests with the parent Utah Mammoth this season." Tucson’s materials underline his January efficiency: "His 1.00 points-per-game rate leads Tucson, leads all AHL rookie defensemen, and ranks tied for second among all AHL defensemen with at least 10 games played."

Those numbers matter beyond box scores. Offense from the back end accelerates transition play and power-play production, and Simashev’s combination of size and vision fits a league-wide premium on mobile, puck-moving defensemen. His prior play in Russia with Loko Yaroslavl Lokomotivs from 2021-2023 — where he collected 29 points (7 goals, 22 assists) in 80 games — underscores the growing international pipeline feeding AHL rosters and reshaping talent economics for affiliates and their parent clubs.

There are business and community implications as well. A rookie defenseman producing at this level enhances Tucson’s on-ice product and ticket appeal, while the recall language tied to the parent club — cited as the Utah Mammoth in team materials for a Jan. 27–29 recall — highlights roster fluidity that teams use to manage development and cap-linked depth. Recognition at the league level also raises Simashev’s trade and contract leverage as the season progresses.

The AHL’s monthly awards package further celebrated other performers, with Providence’s DiPietro named Goaltender of the Month and Wolves’ Nadeau honored as Player of the Month, reinforcing that individual runs can swing team fortunes. For Tucson and Simashev, the rookie award is a clearer indicator that development is trending in the right direction; sustained production over the next stretch of games will determine whether this recognition becomes a springboard to a permanent role at the next level.