Igor Sokolov Prospect Scouting report

[Kisslinger 411]

Igor Sokolov is a dynamic, big Russian winger  and potential lottery pick in the upcoming VHL/VHLM drafts. Igor Sokolov has been a name the league has been hearing for years. Someone who will have an impact and potentially change the direction of a franchise is finally ready to be drafted. Looking into Igor, here are his biggest strengths and biggest things he will have to work on to become an elite pickup in this draft. 
 

Strengths:

 

Defensive play: Igor has been a menace on the penalty kills, he is a player who is not afraid to fight for the puck in the corners and through his body on the line to prevent the other team from scoring. He plays with a fierce drive that elevates him above others when it comes to defence. For a winger, Igor is exceptional. 

Speed: Igor is the Russian Rocket 2.0, his speed is unmatched when it comes to his peers. His speed goes hand in hand with his defence efforts, allowing him to dictate the pace when he has the puck. He is someone you can always looks to spring on the fast break to get an offensive opportunity. Igor continues to impress with his speed. 

Weaknesses:

 

Offensive finishing: Let’s be real here, Igor has not been amazing when it comes to getting on the score sheet. Igor has 19 points in 65 games. Granted he has been on the last couple of lines, he just has been struggling to get those finishing touches. He needs to work on this or teams may go with someone that has proven they can score at the professional level. 

Attitude: Igor has a hard time keeping his cool, he gets into his head, if he takes a bad penalty or misses a golden opportunity, he lets it sit with him all game long, and you can see that his play is being affected. Igor needs to leave what happens on the ice shift by shift and not worry about things he can’t control. Igor is still young, so it’s not really an issue. 

Overall Igor is a solid prospect who can be that elite winger that you need him to be. Any team will be lucky to have Igor, they just need to have the time and patience as he may be a player that takes a season or two to really develop into the player he is destined to be. It will be interesting to see where Igor ends up next in his hockey journey.