Mikhail Sergachev #98 of the Utah Hockey Club skates against the Los Angeles Kings on September 23, 2024 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – While the Utah Hockey Club was persistent in their efforts to bring in premier defensive talent this past summer on the trade market, they scored big when they landed two-time Stanley Cup Champion Mikhail Sergachev. Not only will he be the club’s top defenseman, but he will also be a huge piece of their offense moving forward.
After he was traded to Tampa in 2017, Sergachev became one of the keystones for their franchise as he not only offered exceptional defensive play, but also contributed heavily on offense for a defenseman. In 475 NHL appearances, he recorded 48 goals and 209 assists.
Related: Get To Know The Utah Hockey Club: Who is Mikhail Sergachev?
More recently, before sustaining a season-ending injury last year with the Lightning, Sergachev recorded a career-high 10 goals and 54 assists for 64 total points in 2023.
Sergachev was also a key piece of Tampa’s back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
In just two games with the Utah Hockey Club during the preseason, Sergachev has already contributed to the score sheet as he recorded two assists against the Colorado Avalanche. Following his performance, head coach André Tourigny shared that he noticed a lot of improvement from their new defenseman and that he will be a big part of their offense moving forward.
Related: The Hat Trick: Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller Bury Avalanche In Dominant UHC Victory
Coach Bear on Sergachev’s contribution to the offense: “Obviously he’s a big piece of it. He’s a number one defenseman and we’re really happy to have him…”#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/MZZot6gTko
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 1, 2024
“Obviously he’s a big piece of it. He’s a number one defenseman and we’re really happy to have him. You can see his progression between game one and his second game. I think there’s a significant improvement in his positioning, his battle, and his play with the puck. Those veterans, you just want them to get better game after game so we can be ready,” Tourigny said.
Against the Avalanche, Sergachev shared a lot of time with forwards Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther which resulted in a collection of goals. Between the three, the puck moved efficiently, the spacing was superb and the zone possession was dominant which resulted in a plethora of scoring opportunities.
According to both Keller and Guenther, a lot of Sergachev’s value stems from his elite success in Tampa.
“He brings a ton of value everywhere,” Guenther told KSL Sports. “He came from a team in Tampa with some of the best players in the league. They’ve won two cups, so he knows and brings so much off the ice too. He’s obviously a really good player and it’s going to a lot of fun playing with him.”
“He brings a lot of value. He’s a guy that’s won and played with superstars like Kucherov, Stamkos, all those guys. Guys that have won and been around for a long time. So yeah, we’re working on it. It takes some time to know where each other is going to be, on the powerplay, and in the offensive zone. Just little switches that are different from team to team. So, we’re working through that and talking more and more every game and getting better,” Keller told KSL Sports.
After so many years in Tampa, this new chapter in Utah has been an adjustment for Sergachev. It’s a new city, new home, new fanbase, new teammates and a new way to play the game. But now that he’s played a few times and spent the last couple of weeks absorbing every little thing about his new club, he’s feeling much more comfortable in the Utah sweater.
Mikhail Sergachev on his comfort level: “The first game was kind of a test drive. The second game was like, yeah let’s go, we’ve got to get better. Skating wise was better but I’ve still got to get better at battles along the walls so I’ll try to do that tonight.”#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 1, 2024
“The first game was kind of a test drive,” Sergachev told KSL Sports. “The second game was like, yeah let’s go, we’ve got to get better. Skating wise was better but I’ve still got to get better at battles along the walls, so I’ll try to do that tonight.”
With another opportunity to suit up against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, Sergachev will continue building chemistry with his new teammates and commanding the blue line efforts as the top defenseman. But overall, he’s itching for the puck to drop on October 8 and can’t wait to play with his new team at the Delta Center.
Mikhail Sergachev: “Ever since I got here, I have been excited. Every game is a new challenge. Every practice is a fun practice. I don’t feel the nerves anymore. Let’s go, let’s get to the season…now we’ll get the full team and it’s going to be fun.”#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 1, 2024
“Ever since I got here, I have been excited. Every game is a new challenge. Every practice is a fun practice. I don’t feel the nerves anymore. Let’s go, let’s get to the season. Get the fans excited first of all. They saw what we can do in the preseason, the rink itself, the players. Now we’ll get the full team and it’s going to be fun.” he said.
The Utah Hockey Club will continue their preseason against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night at the SAP Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
