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.
Sergachev, 26, has long been a steady presence on the Lightning's blue line, playing seven seasons with the club after being dealt there from the Montreal Canadiens in 2017.
He dealt with an injury last season, suiting up for only 34 games, but picked up two goals and 17 assists. Overall, he has 48 goals and 209 assists in 475 games in the NHL.
The native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia, has won Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 and has picked up nine goals and 25 assists in 100 career playoff games.
Geekie, 20, has yet to suit up in the NHL. He was drafted 11th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 Draft. The centre picked up 43 goals and 56 assists in 55 games last season split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos of the WHL.
Moser, 24, is a native of Biel, Switzerland. He picked up five goals and 21 assists in 80 games with the Coyotes last season. The defenceman has 16 goals and 56 assists over his three-year NHL career.
Both the Utah HC and the Lightning made some more trade calls later in the day. Utah picked up another defenceman to fortify their blue line, adding John Marino from The New Jersey Devils, and the Lightning traded away Tanner Jeannot to the Los Angeles Kings for picks.
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