The way 21-year-old forward Dominik Simon tells it, he’s a bumbling rookie who just barely knows how to skate. Moving from the international-sized rinks of the Czech Republic to North American’s smaller surfaces has left him fully flummoxed.
“First games and practices, I was almost hitting the boards because the ice is smaller,” Simon said.
The one NHL exhibition game he played in Detroit in September before being assigned to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins? A total disaster.
“It was so fast,” Simon said. “I went to the boards, and I thought I’d have two or three seconds. The guy was right on me.”
There’s only one problem with Simon’s assessment of his first few months in the Penguins organization: It’s completely inaccurate.
“He’s adjusting really fast,” Wilkes-Barre coach Mike Sullivan said. “We didn’t expect it to be as quick as it’s been.”
Simon has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his first 10 games with the Baby Pens, ranking among the AHL’s rookie scoring leaders and establishing himself as a classic late-blooming, under-the-radar prospect who could make an NHL impact before the year is over.
Undersized at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Simon didn’t catch the eyes of NHL scouts when he first was draft eligible in 2013. He had a breakout season a year ago, scoring 18 goals in 52 games in the Czech Republic’s top league before playing a key role for his country in the World Championships. The Penguins took him in the fifth round of June’s draft.
Simon could have NHL success because he’s good at darting to open spots in the offensive zone and isn’t shy about using his high-end shot. How he’ll fare against bigger, stronger NHL opponents is a question mark.
“Early on, Dominik’s hockey sense was evident,” Sullivan said. “He’s a really smart player. He’s got great aptitude for the game.”
PROSPECT NOTES
• The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have won eight in a row after starting the season 1-1. They’ve outscored opponents 39-19.
• LW Scott Wilson leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring with 11 points (6, 5) in nine games.
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