Technically, the Russian defenseman is a second-year pro, but this is his first full professional season. He's playing a full schedule and against the rest of the American Hockey League. Last season, the team played just 34 games, all in its own division.
"That's a big difference, playing against everyone," said Okhotiuk, "seeing all the teams and more (opponents) and all the big guys."
While he had little reference point as a newcomer pro last year, the uncertainty of where the club was playing and its impending move from Binghamton to Utica made the transition to the pro game more difficult than it could have been for Okhotiuk. The farm club also got off to a slow start, losing a series of agonizingly close, low-scoring games, which helped Okhotiuk gain valuable experience, but it was also a tough circumstance for a young defenseman.
Contrast that with this year's rebirth as the Comets. The club is off to a 7-0 start, with a new coach in Kevin Dineen at the helm and a core group of Devils prospects, and a few veteran additions, who are humming along nicely in their new digs.
"Kevin is awesome, a great coach," said Okhotiuk of the long-time bench boss who has also played 1,188 NHL games.
"I'm not sure how to say it in English but he's good around the guys."
A teacher, a players' coach?
"That's it," confirms Okhotiuk.
Last season, though he played for Binghamton Devils, Okhotiuk and his teammates were never in Binghamton because the team was forced to play in Newark at the big club's practice facility to fulfill necessary pandemic protocols.
"It felt like practice," said Okhotiuk.
Once the season ended, Okhotiuk returned home to Russia for the first time in almost two years. He spent the summer training with Carolina Hurricanes sniper Andrei Svechnikov, who is a former teammate with the Russian U18 team, and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov. Barely out of his teens and having played for the Ottawa 67s for three years as a junior, it was still a long time to spend away from home, away from his parents and older brother.
"It was just nice to be home for the first time in two years, to be with my brother," he said.
Okhotiuk was picked 61st overall in the second round at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver. It was the next Devils selection after the splashy No. 1 selection of Jack Hughes the previous evening. In between, P.K. Subban was acquired via trade.
The presence of Hughes speaks for itself but what is interesting with two-plus years since that weekend in Vancouver is how the 2019 class is coming together in Utica. Okhotiuk is off to a good start with two goals and three assists. Taken 19 picks later by the Devils was Graeme Clarke, who has posted the same stat line, while the club's fourth-round selection (96th overall), Tyce Thompson has seven points (4G, 3A) and already earned a callup.
Is Okhotiuk starting to show a more offensive side after a rookie year of six points (2G, 4A) in 28 games?
Perhaps, and to a point.
"It's nice to have points but I'm a defenseman and (supposed to) defend our goal," he explains, "that's my job."
The best interpretation of Okhotiuk's season so far is to take the wider view. Not only is he not yet 21, but he's also not played a lot of hockey over the past two seasons. That's because soon after he was drafted by the Devils, he was injured and didn't get to participate in a full development camp, or proper training camp. Then COVID hit in March and wiped out a promising final playoff run in Ottawa, which led to last year's abridged schedule and now the 2021-22 season.
Okhotiuk played well in this year's training camp, earned a place for three exhibition games and that special feeling of pulling on the jersey.
"That was the first time," he explained, "I had been around training camp (two years ago) and last year was different, but this time was a (real) game."
And what is required for him to someday, hopefully soon, to make his NHL debut?
"My biggest goal right now is to get called up," he said, "to (work on) my personal skills and keep getting more comfortable. When it happens, I want to be ready."
