Penguins A to Z: Trust goes a long way for Dominik Simon
While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.
Dominik Simon
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Age: 25
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 190 pounds
2019-20 NHL statistics: 64 games, 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists)
Contract: Final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $750,000. Pending restricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
Acquired: Draft, fifth round (No. 137 overall), June 27, 2015
This season: There are few things Mike Sullivan has less patience for than questions about why Dominik Simon is in the lineup.
“He’s a good player,” Sullivan said tersely when asked about using Simon on the team’s top line in October. “He’s hard on pucks. He makes plays. He’s just a good, solid 200-foot player.”
All of those things are valid, despite what Simon’s critics, and there’s no shortage of those, would bemoan.
But above all else, Simon has Sullivan’s trust. And having the coach’s trust will go so much further than having the ability to shoot the puck, pass tape to tape, skate fast, throw a big check or any other quantifiable on-ice activity.
Sullivan is not the first Penguins coach to have a guy he just trusts.
His predecessor, Mike Johnston, felt that way about Kevin Porter.
Dan Bylsma was loyal to Craig Adams.
Michel Therrien? He relied on Michel Ouellet.
If you want to go old school, Gene Ubriaco was arguably Phil Bourque’s biggest fan.
Even beyond the coaches, Simon’s linemates, most notably Sidney Crosby, will profess a trust in him, as well. It’s no coincidence Simon’s most common five-on-five ice time this season came with Crosby (390 minutes, 24 seconds) according to Natural Stat Trick.
Ideally, Simon is a 13th forward. But things were far from ideal for the Penguins on the injury front during the 2019-20 season, particularly among the forwards. As a result, Simon was deployed in quite a few prominent roles, including on Crosby’s right wing.
Simon’s greatest strength is, arguably, his passing. Specifically, his ability to make passes in tight spaces for linemates Crosby and Jake Guentzel.
(Video courtesy NHL)
The other side of that coin would be his shooting. While he is capable of finding open areas to take passes and create quality shots, actually capitalizing on those shots can be a challenge.
Simon’s season came to an end Feb. 29 when his left arm was caught up on the boards and torqued in an awkward direction during a 5-0 road loss to the San Jose Sharks. Twelve days later, the NHL halted play.
Simon attempted to rehabilitate the shoulder before ultimately undergoing surgery April 29. His time frame for recovery is six to seven months.
The future: Barring any setbacks, Simon will be available for the start of the 2020-21 season, which surely will be delayed.
As far as where he will be playing next season, that still must be determined. Given his meager production and his ailment, he isn’t in line for a large contract. And given the fit he clearly has established with coaches and linemates, Simon reasonably could fetch a one-year deal with perhaps even a slight pay raise to prove he deserves a more lucrative multiyear contract.
Even with his injury, he has earned enough trust for that.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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