SALT LAKE CITY –With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season right around the corner, it’s time for fans to begin familiarizing themselves with the roster to better understand who will be putting on the Utah sweater and what to expect from Mikhail Sergachev when the puck officially drops in Salt Lake City in October.
Moving on to two-time Stanley Cup Champion and recent trade acquisition, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is the next player profile to help fans get to know the Utah Hockey Club roster.
Sergachev is a 26-year-old defenseman from Nizhnekamsk, Russia. In his youth, the young defender got his start in the MHL, a junior hockey league in his native country. From there, he was drafted No. 6 overall in the CHL Import Draft by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, where he would spend two seasons.
Following his short stint with the Spitfires as the League’s top defenseman, finishing third in scoring his first season and winning the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the best player at his position, Sergachev was then drafted No. 9 overall by the Montreal Canadiens.
Despite an impressive initial training camp with Montreal and appearing in four games for the team, Sergachev was part of a trade the following season that sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017.
The move would lean heavily in favor of the Russian defenseman as he quickly made a name for himself in Florida. Somewhat unexpectedly, Sergachev became one of the keystones for the franchise as he not only offered exceptional defensive play, but also contributed heavily on offense for a defenseman. In 475 NHL appearances, he’s recorded 48 goals and 209 assists. Not to mention his two Stanley Cup Championships during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
This was a significant move for the Utah Hockey Club. After quickly changing ownership and moving to their new home of Salt Lake City, the club swung for the fences and landed one of the NHL’s top defenders.
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Alongside the acquisition of John Marino from New Jersey, this was the next step in the rebuilding process. For the last few seasons, it’s been more about acquiring and developing young talent. Now, the club has made it clear that they intend to begin competing for a playoff spot and the addition of Sergachev was a strong move in that direction.
Here is where fans can follow Sergachev on his Instagram account.
Fans can watch Sergachev in his first game for the Utah Hockey Club on October 8 against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.
