The Wild solidified more options for its pipeline Wednesday, signing forward prospect Dmitry Sokolov to a three-year, entry-level contract and defenseman Eric Martinsson to a one-year, two-way contract.
Sokolov tallied a career-high 96 points – including 50 goals – in 64 games in the Ontario Hockey League last season, splitting 2017-18 with Barrie and Sudbury. The 6-foot, 210-pound native of Omsk, Russia, had 58 of those points in 29 games with Barrie, a tenure that included a career-high 17-game point streak. He had 38 points in 35 games with Sudbury before he was traded to Barrie.
A seventh-round pick (196th overall) by the Wild in 2016, Sokolov led the OHL in power-play goals (18) and ranked tied for first in goals, tied for second in game-winning goals (nine), fifth in scoring and ninth in shots (268). The 20-year-old also led Barrie in playoff goals (eight), power-play goals (five) and shots (46) and sat second in scoring with 15 points in 12 games.
At the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, Sokolov had a goal and two assists in five games.
As for Martinsson, he recorded three goals and 17 points in 46 games for Vaxjo HC in the Swedish Elite League last season. His average ice time (21 minutes, 17 seconds) ranked ninth among league defensemen. The 6-foot, 185-pound native of Klippan, Sweden, also had 11 points in 13 playoff games to help Vaxjo HC win the playoff championship.
Over four seasons with Vaxjo HC, Martinsson accumulated 48 points (10 goals) in 184 games. He also tallied 33 points in 59 games with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL in 2012-13.
Photo credit: the Wild.
