For the first big trade of the second round of the NHL Draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning have moved off one of their stalwart defencemen.
Utah HC made a massive move, trading for Mikhail Sergachev and sending the Lightning Conor Geekie, J.J. Moser, a 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto) and the 199th pick in the 2024 Draft.
More to come…
In a surprising move, the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for forward Conor Geekie, defenseman J.J. Moser, and two draft picks. This trade has sent shockwaves through the hockey world, as Sergachev has been a key player for the Lightning since being acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017.
Sergachev, a 23-year-old Russian defenseman, has been a solid contributor for the Lightning over the past few seasons. Known for his offensive prowess and strong defensive play, Sergachev was a key part of the Lightning’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2020. However, with the Lightning looking to shake up their roster and add some depth up front, they decided to part ways with Sergachev in exchange for some promising young talent.
In Conor Geekie, the Lightning are getting a highly-touted prospect who was selected 14th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old forward has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career and has the potential to be a top-six forward in the NHL. J.J. Moser, a 20-year-old defenseman, is another promising young player who has shown great potential in the junior leagues. With some time to develop, Moser could become a key piece on the Lightning’s blue line in the future.
In addition to Geekie and Moser, the Lightning also received two draft picks in the trade. Draft picks are always valuable assets in the NHL, as they allow teams to add more young talent to their roster and build for the future. With these additional picks, the Lightning have more flexibility to make future trades or draft selections to improve their team.
Overall, this trade is a bold move by the Lightning, but one that could pay off in the long run. While losing Sergachev is certainly a blow to their defense, the addition of Geekie, Moser, and two draft picks gives them some much-needed depth and flexibility moving forward. Only time will tell if this trade was the right move for the Lightning, but it certainly adds some excitement and intrigue to the upcoming NHL season.