Maksim Sokolovskii, the 6-foot-8 defenseman the Philadelphia Flyers picked 27th overall just a couple months ago, is already making people eat their words with an unbelievable assist in his very first OHL preseason game. When the Flyers drafted him out of the London Knights, a lot of fans were rolling their eyes, wondering if they were just going for the biggest guy in the class again, hoping for the next Chris Pronger instead of someone who could actually help them win. Especially after seeing his total of eight points in the OHL on Elite Prospects, it was easy to get that sinking feeling, bringing back memories of Draft Day mistakes like Jay O’Brien, German Rubtsov, and Samuel Morin.
From Development Camp Doubts to On-Ice Dance Moves
The skepticism was real, but maybe the Flyers’ scouting staff actually knew what they were doing. It all started to shift during development camp, the week right after the 2026 NHL Draft. This dude was out there dancing on the blue line, showing off some absolutely high-end skating. Seriously, no defenseman that big should be able to move like that, making him look like a total unicorn. Watching Sokolovskii go through on-ice drills and even work with the puck, it was clear he could be something special in a few years. He’s a tremendous skater, and that raw skill began to quiet the initial noise.
Sokolovskii Shines in Preseason Debut
Now, just two months later, he’s giving us that same electric feeling, but in a game situation. Live hockey is back, baby! The OHL preseason kicked off this weekend, and Sokolovskii was right in the thick of it as his Knights hosted the Erie Otters on Friday night. Even if it’s not the regular season with full rosters, the 18-year-old blueliner decided to put on a show in the very first chance we got to see him play as a Flyers prospect. He took the puck from his own blue line, skated through an open neutral zone with the Otters defender giving him space, cut through to his off-side, protected the puck with that massive 6’8″, 240-pound frame, drove right to the net, and then dished a gorgeous backhand pass to his teammate for an easy goal. What a play! This kid’s already showing he’s got skill to match that size.
This is just preseason, but seeing Maksim Sokolovskii perform like this in a game situation, after all the initial doubt, is incredibly exciting. It makes you wonder what else this guy is going to pull off as he continues his season with the London Knights. The early returns on this draft pick are looking pretty good, and it’s going to be wild to watch his development unfold.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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