Tucson Roadrunners' forward Egor Sokolov named AHL player of week after big weekend, pair of game-winners

Tucson Roadrunners right wing Egor Sokolov has already made a couple big moves in his career, so a trade this offseason to the Old Pueblo didn’t faze him.

After coming to Tucson from the Belleview Senators in the offseason, Sokolov has rocketed up to 11th in the American Hockey League in scoring after notching four goals in two games this past weekend. That two-day effort — where he scored both game-winners — earned Sokolov the Howies Hockey Tape AHL Player of the Week award.

“It’s great,” Sokolov said about his start. “I usually have pretty slow starts, and it’s a little bit different for me right now, so I’m looking to just keep playing hockey, and good things are gonna happen to me.

“I’m not really always thinking about goals and assists and stuff like that,” he added. “I usually just try to play the game and if I get an opportunity to bury one, I’ll bury one.”

In July, the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club traded longtime Roadrunners forward Jan Jenik to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Sokolov, who spent all of last season in the AHL with Bellevue.

So far, Sokolov has five goals and three assists for Tucson this season, including two goals in each game of the Roadrunners’ sweep of the Bakersfield Condors over the weekend.

Tucson head coach Steve Potvin said Sokolov is already a leader for the Roadrunners.

“Egor’s just been a very calming presence in our team,” Potvin said. “Just so strong on the puck and, you know what, he seems to be in the right position at all times.

“When you’re stronger with a puck the way he is, it just gives you a confidence and gives you a little bit more poise and time with the puck,” Potvin added. “It’s been a great little run for him here and I don’t expect it to really change.”

Potvin also said Sokolov’s dominant weekend came after he had been “feeling a little under the weather,” adding that for him to play like that shows a lot about his character.

“He’s a very talented player as you can see. He can rip the pill,” said right wing Austin Poganski, a linemate of Sokolov. “It’s nice to have his emotion and his ability to shoot the puck on the power play. We looked for him to be a big attribute there for us.”

The Senators drafted Sokolov in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

A native of Yekaterinburg, Russia, Sokolov moved to Chelyabinsk, Russia, at the age of 13. That was a couple hours away from his hometown, and lived there with other players his age to further his hockey career.

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“It’s tough. I know my mom and dad had to make a lot of sacrifices for me to be where I’m at right now. (I’m) very thankful and I can’t thank them enough and it’s definitely tough for a young kid moving away and to see your mom and dad once a year, if you’re lucky,” said Sokolov, now 24 and in his fifth year of pro hockey in North America.

“With COVID and stuff, I didn’t see them for over two years. it’s a tough situation, but I’m gonna FaceTime with them every day and thank God we have that in this world,” he added. “They’re happy for me. They know I’m enjoying my life and I’m getting where I want to be, so they’re just happy for me.”

Last season Sokolov had 21 goals and 46 points for Belleview, the latter the second-highest mark on the team. He led the Senators in power-play goals (10) and shots.

Last year in the playoffs, he had points in four of the Senators’ last five games.

“I think when you make a trade like this,” Potvin said, “you’ve got a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. But he’s also looking for an opportunity and he wants to show well here and show what he can do.

“I didn’t expect anything but what he’s bringing,” Potvin added. “We heard some really good things about him from previous coaching staffs and he’s a player that’s making the most of his opportunity and he’s enjoying it.”

When he came to North America, Sokolov played for three seasons for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Then, he joined the Belleville Senators in the 2021 season, playing four seasons for the NHL Senators’ AHL affiliate. He also played 13 games for the Ottawa Senators.

Sokolov does feel various big moves have helped him be more resilient.

“When you’re 17 making a move across the world, life comes at you, right, especially for me,” Sokolov said. “I didn’t speak any of English, right, so it took me over a year to try and talk to the guys around me.

So yeah, it’s definitely what made me who I am right now — making that move, and I’m pretty happy that I’ve done that.”

Slap shots

• Jenik, fourth all-time in points (120 in 165 games played) and fifth in goals (46) in Roadrunners’ history, has two goals and an assist for Belleview in six games.
• Right wing Hunter Drew is second on the Roadrunners in scoring with six points, including four goals.