Sergachev traded to Utah

[Brewin Flames]

Sergachev traded to Utah Hockey Club by Lightning

Tampa Bay acquires defenseman for Moser, Geekie, 2 picks

© Derek Leung/Getty Images

ByNHL.com

@NHLdotcom

12:11 PM

Mikhail Sergachev was traded to the Utah Hockey Club by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

 

The Lightning received defenseman J.J. Moser and forward Conor Geekie, a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

 

Sergachev had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 34 regular-season games for the Lightning, missing significant time because of a knee injury. He returned in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and had one assist in two games.

 

The 26-year-old defenseman, who was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (No. 9) of the 2016 NHL Draft, has 257 points (48 goals, 209 assists) in 475 regular-season games for the Lightning and Canadiens and 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists) in 100 playoff games.

 

Sergachev won the Cup with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021.

 

Moser, 24, who had 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 80 games for the Arizona Coyotes this season, can become a restricted free agent on Monday. Selected by Arizona in the second round (No. 60) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Moser has 72 points (16 goals, 56 assists) in 205 regular-season games.

 

Geekie, 20, has yet to play in the NHL. He had 99 points (43 goals, 56 assists) in 55 games for Swift Current and Wenatchee of the Western Hockey League this season.

 

Utah also acquired defenseman John Marino from the New Jersey Devils, along with the No. 153 pick in the 2024 draft, for the No. 49 pick this year and a second-round selection in 2025.

 

Marino, 27, had 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 75 games this season. He has 107 points (18 goals, 89 assists) in 328 regular-season games with the Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins and six assists in 29 playoff games.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Imagine having an 8 year 8.5 million dollar contract with a NTC that kicks in in October,  and getting traded at the draft lol

[ruxpin]

2 minutes ago, J0e Th0rnton said:

Imagine having an 8 year 8.5 million dollar contract with a NTC that kicks in in October,  and getting traded at the draft lol

Does the no trade go with him? 

 

 

Sucks to sign such a contract in Florida and suddenly stuck with an immovable contract in fricken Utah.

[Podein25]

58 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Does the no trade go with him? 

 

 

Sucks to sign such a contract in Florida and suddenly stuck with an immovable contract in fricken Utah.

 

Yabbut, think of all the wives $8M can buy?!

[radoran]

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

Does the no trade go with him? 

 

Yes, because the contract hasn't started yet.

 

He can always

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

This is a bit shocking. There WAS buzz the Lightning were shopping a defenseman....but that defenseman was thought to be Erik Cernak, not Sergachev.

Serge was supposed to be one of the cornerstones for the next core the Bolts put together for their next Cup runs.
That said, and I am speculating here based on what I've seen from the team and the direction they want to keep going in, I think the Bolts started to lose confidence that Mikhail would be able to bounce back from the injuries to his legs and even before all that happened, his progression as a 'do everything' NHL'er had stalled.

Was it because he was thrust into a top role as opposed to the protected minutes the Lightning had him playing before?
Not sure about that, but when you are paying a guy whose cap hit is 8.5M (and he DOES have the toolset to be a top pair guy!), then 'protecting' him in the lineup is no longer an option.
He has to lead.....not follow.....and I think that, along with the injuries, and the second thoughts the Lightning had regarding the big contract they gave him, all combined to make him the player that would go.

Make no mistake: Utah is getting a very good defenseman. Whether or not Mikhail can get himself sorted out after this gut punch of a trade will tell alot about his character and viability as a true top NHL defenseman.
If he can, and he isn't hindered too much by his injury recoveries, the Utonians got themselves a brickhouse, snarly, skilled blueliner.

While I am not a huge fan of trading Sergachev, I must say, I DO like the return.
The Lightning haven't had a good pure puck mover and offense generator from their blue line since a young Victor Hedman.

I think JJ Moser has the potential to be just that (while still having a pretty good Hedman in the lineup!) for the Lightning. Moser's offensive output was decent on a disjointed Arizona team and I expect that output to be better playing on a more finely tuned offensive team like the Lightning.

Bolts also get big bodied Conor Geekie, and while I understand Geekie may be nothing more than AHL fodder at worst, or a pure 3rd or 4th line NHL banger at best, if he is anything like his older brother Morgan Geekie (who I think is underrated as a true NHL caliber mack truck smasher), then I think the Lightning did well here too. Heck...his Juniors numbers suggest he has above and beyond the scoring potential of this older, NHL brother, while still sporting a 6'4 frame at 205 pounds at just 20 years old.

Then, the Bolts got themselves two picks...one is sorta a throwaway, AHL feeder 7th round pick, but the other has them picking in the 2nd round next season...giving them a potential NHL caliber player for that round which they didn't have before (due to trading away picks to get players to win Cups!)

So....overall, while sad to see Mikhail Sergachev go, I am pretty happy with what they got back. Don't feel like they've been 'cheated' somehow.
This, coupled with some of the recouping of picks the Lightning did with the Tanner Jeannot trade, has me at least believing that Julien Brisebois DOES have a plan and isn't as clueless as I started to believe, after watching the brilliance of Steve Yzerman in running this club from the GM's seat.

Now, Lightning....about that Stamkos character.......

Edited June 29 by TropicalFruitGirl26