The traditional National Rookie Draft ceremony continues in Las Vegas hockey league (NHL). Such events quite often surprise with unexpected, sensational and even inexplicable decisions of club leaders when choosing certain prospects.
But there are also frequent cases when club bosses amaze with other deals during the draft — a period quite convenient for making exchanges.
One of the main sensations of the current draft was the exchange of Mikhail Sergachev. The Tampa Bay Lightning unexpectedly decided to abandon the star Russian defenseman and sent him to the league debutant Utah, a club created on the basis of the Arizona Coyotes franchise. The shocking trade occurred in the second round of the draft. For Sergachev, Utah gave Conor Geekie and JJ Moser, as well as a second-round NHL draft pick — 2025 and the 199th pick in the 2024 draft. The Lightning did not withhold a single percentage from Mikhail's salary — all $8.5 million of the cap hit went to Utah's payroll.
Hardly anyone was prepared for such a development. Certainly not Sergachev. On July 1, Mikhail was supposed to have a completely no-trade clause activated in his contract, and his second year of a multimillion-dollar eight-year agreement with the Lightning would have started with the new NHL season. The Russian himself is now in his homeland and is completely immersed in organizing a charity match in Moscow between KHL and NHL stars. The news from Las Vegas clearly made Mikhail sit up in surprise. The entire «Sphere» in Nevada at that moment oohed and ahhed in shock.
In addition to the trade with Utah, the Lightning bosses also made a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, dumping Tanner Jeannot on the Kings in exchange for two draft picks in 2024 and 2025. The Lightning's motives are understandable — the club intends to keep team captain Steven Stamkos on its roster. Negotiations with the 34-year-old Canadian superstar on a new contract are going quite hard. The hockey player's representatives even announced the player's intention to enter the free agent market. The risk of losing one of the main heroes of the entire franchise forced Tampa to take a serious step. Thanks to the trade of Sergachev and Jeannot, the Lightning cleared their payroll by $11.5 million in just a few minutes. Quite acceptable. But only for the task of signing a contract with a legend.
And for a franchise? Sergachev missed most of the 2023/24 season due to health problems. His absence especially affected Tampa’s results in the decisive period of the playing year. The terrible injury received by Mikhail in his fatal match against the New York Rangers deprived the Lightning of the necessary reserves for success in the playoffs. The situation was so serious that the Lightning almost forced the recovery of the Russian defender — by the end of the first round of the playoffs, Sergachev returned to the team and tried to help it in the battle against the Florida Panthers, who became the league champions, although Mikhail’s return was expected already new season.
His star Russian will start in a new team. Thus, “Utah,” which until now had not caused any other reaction other than laughter and Spanish shame for its frankly collective farm entry into the NHL, instantly gained status. Sergachev will have to be the main leader and star of the club. And in a couple of years, he will be joined by another talented Russian defender Dmitry Simashev, who was drafted by Arizona last summer. “Tampa” for the coming years will remain with the captain, but without a young high-level defender. Everything is heading towards the fact that the current Lightning will no longer be among the contenders for at least the semi-finals of the Stanley Cup.
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