Nikolay Goldobin is on a tear in the AHL. The Russian forward has been named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending October 20, 2019.
With eight points in three games, @UticaComets forward Nikolay Goldobin has been selected as the @CCMHockey / AHL Player of the Week.
Details: https://t.co/ZwPQGnUIjI pic.twitter.com/Hs85JrFMyl
— AHL (@TheAHL) October 21, 2019
Goldobin racked up one goal and seven assists to go with a plus-7 rating in three games last week for AHL Utica. The Comets are currently 5-0 to start the season and lead the entire league with 29 goals scored.
The Comets have been dominating their opponents offensively, and Goldobin is playing a major role. Goldy contributed three assists in a 6-2 win over Syracuse on Wednesday before duplicating that performance with three more assists in an 8-2 victory over Charlotte on Friday. He had a goal and an assist in a 7-1 win over Rochester on Saturday.
A few reasons why @NG078 was named Player of the Week. pic.twitter.com/v9YSMXK44O
— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) October 21, 2019
Goldobin was one of the bottom-six forwards battling for a roster spot in Canucks training camp and came close to making the big club. He’s proving with his play in the AHL that he deserves a call-up if the circumstances call for it.
Goldobin currently leads the AHL with eight assists and ranks second in league scoring with nine points. Goldobin’s teammate, Reid Boucher, sits atop the AHL scoring race with a whopping eight goals and 10 points in five contests.
Goldobin isn’t likely to continue piling up three assists every game, but he’s been a consistent scorer at the AHL level with 53 goals and 134 career points in 152 career games with Utica, San Jose and Worcester. He had seven goals and 27 points in 63 games for the Canucks last season.
It’s certainly a positive trend to see AHL Utica off to a strong start after struggling in recent years. Sven Baertschi has put up two goals and eight points in four games, while the best development could be the play of Kole Lind. The 21-year-old forward is almost halfway to matching his entire point output from last season with one goal and seven points in his first five games.
The Canucks are a legit playoff contender this season, and their farm team is stacked with talent. Goldobin is helping lead a dynamic offense in Utica, and a call-up to the Canucks might not be too far away.
