UTICA — Nikolay Goldobin is taking a straightforward approach in joining the Utica Comets.

The Russian forward, who turned 24 years old Monday, is back with the American Hockey League team looking to boost his game in an effort to get another opportunity in the NHL. Goldobin spent all of last season with the parent Vancouver Canucks, though due to an excess of wings he was part of the team’s final roster trim ahead of the 2019-20 season.

“I just want to gain confidence on this team,” Goldobin said following Comets’ practice Wednesday. “I just want to play with the puck, make some plays and improve my game.”

Goldobin — who has split time between the NHL and AHL in his previous four pro seasons in North America — has impressed with his offensive abilities during previous stints with the Comets. That includes Goldobin being on a point-per-game pace during 30 appearances with the Comets two seasons ago. There’s a hope that Goldobin — as well as veteran Sven Baertschi, for however long he also remains with the Comets — can be an added bonus for a team that has a skilled forward and high expectations.

On Wednesday, Goldobin was on a line with fellow prospects Zack MacEwen and Lukas Jasek, who is playing center to start the season with the team in need.

“The dream is obviously to play in the NHL,” said Goldobin, who signed a one-year, $900,000 deal with Vancouver before training camp. “So, I’ll just work hard and hopefully get a call-up soon.”

To get that opportunity, coaches and officials in the organization have stressed Goldobin needs to be better defensively. To build on that, Goldobin was part of the Comets’ penalty kill work Wednesday as the team prepared to play Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this weekend.

“When we had him in the past, he was killing penalties for us,” Comets coach Trent Cull said. “It is something we’re looking at. (The approach) is ‘What can we do to expand his role and try to get him some more time at our level?’”

Goldobin— who has a laidback demeanor — insists he put in good work during the summer. He is itching to play in the regular season after totaling one assist in four Canucks preseason games.

“They want me to be an all-around player,” said Goldobin, one of two players considered veteran exempt (260 to 320 pro games played) under AHL rules which will likely force the Comets to sit at least one veteran (321 games or more) each contest. “I’m just going to play hard.”

Injury updates

Cull said Tyler Graovac (lower-body) is not expected to be an option for Saturday’s game.

Forward Francis Perron (lower-body) skated after Wednesday’s practice. He remains day-to-day.

Kalamazoo acquires Schmidt

Kalamazoo, Utica’s ECHL affiliate, announced the acquisition of defenseman Connor Schmidt from Toledo on Wednesday.

Schmidt, who split last season in the ECHL and Southern Professional Hockey League, had 15 points in 25 games for Utica College during the 2015-16 season.