The Tampa Bay Lightning started off Day 2 of the NHL Draft with a bang, trading defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club and later forward Tanner Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
In exchange for Sergachev, the Lightning received high-scoring center prospect Conor Geekie, restricted free agent defenseman J.J. Moser, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
Sergachev, 26, had a no-trade clause that was set to take effect on July 1 and was entering the second year of an eight-year $68 million extension he signed with Tampa Bay in June 2022. Utah reportedly will take on Sergachev’s $8.5 million annual cap hit until the 2030-31 season.
The Russia native notched 19 points in 34 games last season before breaking his tibia and fibula in February. He returned to play two games in the Lightning’s first-round loss to the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Florida Panthers.
Sergachev earned two Stanley Cup rings of his own when the Lightning won back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021.
The move restocks Tampa Bay’s draft choices and frees the Lightning up financially as they continue efforts to re-sign captain Steven Stamkos, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on Monday. The 34-year-old was the No. 1 overall selection of the 2008 NHL Draft and has spent 16 seasons with the Lightning, but the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement on a new deal.
The Lightning also sent Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings for a second-round pick in 2025 and pick No. 118 in 2024.
The Lightning gave up a lot to acquire 2022 Calder Trophy-winner Jeannot in a 2023 trade deadline deal: a first, second, third, fourth and fifth round pick along with defenseman Callan Foote.
But Jeannot, 27, has been a disappointment with seven goals, seven assists and a minus-10 in 55 games last season and was set to have a limited no-trade clause kick in on Monday.
–Field Level Media