Senators Sign RFA Egor Sokolov, Now Hoping Shane Pinto is Next

The 23-year-old will make $775,000 in the NHL and $120,000 in the AHL

When the Ottawa Senators announced their full roster for training camp today, it was interesting to see that Russian winger Egor Sokolov, one of their two unsigned restricted free agents was included on the list. The other was Shane Pinto, who was noticeably, but not surprisingly, absent. 

It turned out to be a sign of things to come. Sokolov re-signed with the Senators today, getting a one-year, two-way deal with the club.

The 6-foot-3, 222 pound Russian winger will make $775,000 in the NHL and $120,000 in the AHL. In his third season in Belleville last year, Sokolov had 21 goals and 59 points in 70 games. The affable 2020 second rounder has one goal and one assist in his 13 NHL games, mostly playing well down in the lineup.

Sokolov's size and offensive punch (he had 46 goals in 52 games in his final year of junior with Cape Breton) are an impressive combo but, while his skating is fine once he gets up to speed, he still lacks that NHL level quickness. Based on today's signing, the Senators obviously think there's still a chance he finds it. 

As an aside, it's hard not to wonder why Sokolov's deal, which hovers near NHL minimum wage, took all summer to complete.

Now they can put all their focus on Pinto, the far tougher negotiation. But GM Pierre Dorion actually sounded quite positive in his update on TSN 1200 Radio today at the team's annual golf tournament. Mind you, he had just made a big birdie putt.

“We've been talking quite a bit over the last few days," Dorion said. "We hope to get it done. We’d like to have Shane in camp as soon as possible. But this is a process and it’s definitely been a process in this case. 

"We know our fans want him. We want him here. He wants to be here. So it’s just working through it and hopefully there is a resolution sooner than later.”