Cup-Winning Defenseman Welcomes Trade to Utah

Mikhail Sergachev is excited to be an inaugural member of the Utah Hockey Club.

Nov 16, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

After seven years and a pair of Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Mikhail Sergachev will don an all-new jersey this season.

During the second round of the NHL Entry Draft on Saturday, Tampa Bay traded Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club, the newest member of the league. The trade took the 26-year-old by complete surprise, but less than a week later, he's ready to hit the ground running with his new team.

“I knew nothing about Utah. But talking to my agent, players and (Utah forward Clayton) Keller — everybody said great things about Utah,” Sergachev said Friday, per the Salt Lake Tribune. “It’s pretty amazing, the whole setup, the city. I’m very excited. It’s a big opportunity for me to prove myself, being a leader. So I’m looking forward to it.”

Sergachev's current contract, an eight-year, $68 million deal he signed with Tampa Bay back in 2022, included a no-trade clause that was set to kick in on July 1. So if this trade happened just two days later, the Russian defenseman would've had to waive his no-trade clause for the deal to go through. After getting accustomed to his new environment, though, he's very happy with how the situation played out.

“I got traded two days before that kicked in. So I had no choice,” he said Friday, when asked about the clause. “Knowing [what I know] now, I would probably waive it.”

The Lightning traded Sergachev to shed cap, but that's not an indictment on him by any means. He has been a consistent presence on the Tampa Bay blue line, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time in each of the past five seasons, and was even seen as the team's future top defenseman once Victor Hedman called it quits. Sergachev only played 34 games last season due to injury, but is still more than capable of leading a defense corps.

“As an organization, when do you get a chance to add a No. 1 D-man to your roster? That opportunity doesn’t come around,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. “This was the deal that could help our franchise take the next step and we were able to pull it off.”

With a boat load of cap space and draft picks to work with, Utah decided to swing for the fences early this offseason. Acquiring Sergachev was the biggest move of the week, but Utah also acquired defenseman John Marino from the New Jersey Devils just minutes later. The team also extended key players such as Sean Durzi and Michael Kesselring, added veterans Ian Cole and Kevin Stenlund in free agency and drafted Tij Iginla, son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.

All in all, Utah looks like a team that could make some serious noise in its inaugural season.

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