With the trade of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club and forward Tanner Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, the Tampa Bay Lightning kicked off Day 2 of the NHL Draft with a bang.
The Lightning acquired restricted free agent defenseman J.J. Moser, high-scoring center prospect Conor Geekie, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for Sergachev.
The 26-year-old Sergachev was in the second year of an eight-year, $68 million agreement he signed with Tampa Bay in June 2022. The extension included a no-trade clause that was scheduled to take effect on July 1. According to reports, Utah will absorb Sergachev’s $8.5 million yearly cap hit until the 2030–31 campaign. Before injuring his tibia and fibula in February of last season, the product of Russia scored 19 points in 34 games.
After his comeback, he participated in two games in the Lightning’s opening-round series loss to the Florida Panthers, who went on to win the Stanley Cup. With the Lightning winning consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021, Sergachev was rewarded with two Stanley Cup rings of his own.
In addition to giving Tampa Bay more draft picks, the trade frees up money for the Lightning to use in their ongoing efforts to re-sign captain Steven Stamkos, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on Monday.
The 34-year-old, who was chosen with the first overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, has played for the Lightning for 16 seasons, but a new contract has not been reached by the parties.
Jeannot was also traded by the Lightning to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 pick (number 118).
In a 2023 trade deadline transaction, the Lightning paid up a lot to get defenseman Callan Foote and 2022 Calder Trophy winner Jeannot, including first, second, third, fourth, and fifth round picks.
However, Jeannot, 27, has disappointed with seven goals, seven assists, and a minus-10 in 55 games played in the previous campaign. On Monday, his limited no-trade clause was supposed to activate.
