Utah Hockey Club Egor Sokolov The forward signed a one-year, two-way contract. The deal was first reported by Mike Gould of The Daily Faceoff (Twitter link). Utah acquired Sokolov from the Ottawa Senators on July 3. Jan Jenick Conversely.
The deal marks Sokolov's first move away from the Senators organization since he was selected by the Senators in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft. That same year, Sokolov had a breakout season in the QMJHL, scoring 92 points in just 52 games. Turning pro immediately after the draft, Sokolov recorded 15 goals and 25 points in his first 35 games with the Belleville Senators. That performance earned Sokolov the right to play in his first career NHL game in 2021, but he did not score a point. Still, he has remained a strong offensive force at the AHL level, ranking in the top three on Belleville's scoring list each of the past three seasons. That includes the best year of his career in 2022-23, when Sokolov recorded 21 goals and 59 points in 70 games.
Sokoloff still managed 21 goals this season but only 46 points in 71 games. A big, shoot-oriented winger, he's still figuring out how to create and maintain tempo at the pro level, but Sokoloff has excelled in both the junior and minor league leagues. A two-way contract gives him a chance to prove his potential with his newest NHL club this season, but he may need to make a step up from the minor leagues first.
