Prospect Info: Ottawa Senators agree to terms with forward Egor Sokolov on a one-year, two-way contract

[BankStreetParade]

You get a big AHL contract for playing in the league for a while, doesn't really matter how good you are. Pretty much a reward to staying in the AHL rather than heading overseas.

AHL vets get the 300ishk contracts, Sokolov can be considered a vet heaqding into his 5th fulltime season.

Guys like Alex Grant got 275k and 300k after 4 and 5 years, Clark Bishop making 275k, O'Dell got 300k after 4 AHL seasons of similar production. Those types of players get the big AHL contracts, doesn't need to be high level players, because usually those high level AHL players are in the NHL.

Fair enough.

I guess my point is more along the lines of "if you're going to give that kind of money to an AHLer, why not go shopping for an impact guy?"

I don't have any problem with overpaying high-performing AHLers but I just don't see it in the stats to give this guy that kind of money and make him a fixture of the club next year.

 

[jbeck5]

I think the question should be: why does he deserve a big AHL contract?

7th on the team in pt/g.
3rd on the team in pts (despite a huge advantage in gp)
40%+ of his pts have come on the PP (highest ratio on the team)
1 game-winning goal
0 overtime goals

The numbers don't add up, unfortunately.

Usually they look at the last couple years.

He usually is leading or close to leading the team in points.

Like, we signed pilon to $200,000.

He was coming off 29 points in 53 games with Hershey...7th on the team in points.

We signed highmore to $400,000.

He has 29 points in 40 games this year.

Maybe instead of giving this money to random guys who will come for a year and then leave, maybe we should give it to the internal guys who will stay there most of a decade if they don't make the NHL.

You know, get a new Denis Hamel type of guy.

 

[RAFI BOMB]

Some odd takes in this thread. Sokolov is only 23 years old. He still has time to become an NHL player and there isn't much indication that he would be done with this organization or North America.

With regards to a lack of getting called up, he had a slower start to the season from a production standpoint but has picked it up in the 2nd half. This was his first season of waiver eligibility so that complicates things when it comes to calling a player up. The "tweener" type prospects find themselves in a tough spot. Teams will likely prefer to call up either waiver exempt prospects or established AHLers instead.

There is no risk to lose a waiver exempt player so they can get called up and sent down at will. AHL veterans were signed as UFAs and weren't able to get 1 way NHL deals. Teams tend to know what they are already and would have given them an NHL deal if they truly thought they could take on that role fulltime. Teams still make waiver claims on AHL vets but the majority of the time they can only fill a role temporarily before getting put back on waivers again. Keep in mind, an AHL veteran had to get called up and then placed on waivers before a team could put in a claim. That means they got another look in the NHL and still weren't able to establish a full time NHL role so other teams will be skeptical that they can be anything more than a temporary solution.

"Tweeners" are the types that teams might be more willing to put a waiver wire claim in for. They are still kind of considered prospects and there is still some potential upside there. Some teams might want to see if it is just a matter or coaching or role or organizational fit that is holding that prospect back from being a full time player. Teams will also be looking to try to develop them a bit more before deciding what kind of role they have in the organization moving forward.

There are meaningful differences, but it is important to note that Nick Paul cleared waivers 3 times before getting a full time role in Ottawa and then a very long term contract after he got traded to Tampa Bay. Sokolov has only cleared through waivers once so far.

Sokolov's challenge is role adjustment. He was a scorer in juniors and played top line minutes. He has put up good points in the AHL but isn't exactly an offensive dynamo. His skating also holds him back from being given more consideration for a top six role in the NHL. He needs to adjust his game to a bottom six role if he wants to crack the NHL. He has made some progress with that, but there are still some areas where he could improve.

Just as a comparison, Jiri Smejkal has got a bit of a look in the NHL this year and some people have really liked what he has demonstrated. He is 27 years old right now whereas Sokolov is 23. There is a decent chance that Sokolov looks better at the NHL level by the time he reaches Smejkal's age than Smejkal has looked this year.

I think the situation is a little more complicated than some on here are suggesting.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Sokolov has heavy boots and does not play physical. He is not an NHL player

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Sokolov has heavy boots and does not play physical. He is not an NHL player

When I heard him talking about how he spent the summer trying to study & emulate Blake Wheeler & Tage Thompson, I knew there was no hope for him here.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Sokolov has heavy boots and does not play physical. He is not an NHL player

the next stone?

 

[Alf Silfversson]

the next stone?

Does he have one of the top 5 hockey IQs in the league? If so then he has a chance of being the next Stone.

I don't see that though.

Sokolov has heavy boots and does not play physical. He is not an NHL player

Never too late to adapt but yeah, he moves slow, doesn't think super fast and doesn't stop the opposition from doing what they want. Not looking good.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

At this point it’s irrelevant what various fans on hfboards think of him… it’s pretty clear the current Sens brain trust doesn’t view him as a prospect. So he’ll be playing for someone else next year.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

the next stone?

No where near ...no chance

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

He seems to be a good team guy and the type of vet you want around the kids. I'd definitely give him another AHL contract to stay in Belleville.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Soko is good people. I wouldn't be opposed to keeping him in Belleville if he has no other options and isn't trying to go back to Russia. He would be a solid top 9 piece for them next year.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Does this guy get along with his teammates these days?

 

[RAFI BOMB]

 

[aragorn]

Over the last 4 yrs Sokolov has lead all Belleville scorers - 240 games - 76 goals - 104 assists - 180 pts - 0.75 PPG
Batherson is in 2nd place.

Elite Prospects - All Time Regular Season Player Stats for Belleville Senators

All-time/historical regular season player stats for Belleville Senators, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

Elite Prospects - All Time Regular Season Player Stats for Belleville Senators​

All-time/historical regular season player stats for Belleville Senators, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[SENATOR]

Clutch! Sens need such an energy!

 

[lang006]

Love that personality. lol Dang. I wish this guy was good enough for NHL hockey.

 

[Bileur]

It definitely looks like the team has given up on him as an NHL prospect.

It’s too bad, I’d much rather have seen him get a shot than Kubalik. At least you know he’s have brought positive vibes to the room.

 

[Cosmix]

No where near ...no chance

Exactly. Stone's stats in junior showed his offensive potential. Sok has never done that.

 

[SENATOR]

Exactly. Stone's stats in junior showed his offensive potential. Sok has never done that.

Stone

Sokolov

 

[Micklebot]

Stone
View attachment 856900
Sokolov

View attachment 856901

If you prorated Sokolov to 66 games you end up at 58 g and 117 pts, that's pretty comparable, arguably better given the big advantage in goals.

 

[aragorn]

Sokolov is 23 yrs old & has been one of the top 1-2 top scorers in Belleville for the past 4 seasons, isn't that what people wanted from a prospect to go to Belleville & prove themselves? If nothing else he has been very consistent producing points. He has done everything asked of him in Belleville & then some & it's not his fault Belleville hasn't been better in his time there, it's managements. The 4th line in Ott wasn't all that great last season & it could use an upgrade to add some production.

 

[Joeyjoejoe]