Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Mikhail Sergachev's home is starting to resemble a bakery.
He can thank his neighbors for that.
Utah is known for its skiing, mountains, and all the other outdoor wonders; however, Sergachev — the defensive stalwart the Utah Hockey Club traded for on draft day — has found the most unique thing about the state might be its people.
"All our neighbors come to our home and bring bread and jam," he said. "It's unbelievable. I have like seven bread loaves at my house."
But you can't say he wasn't warned.
In July, Sergachev played in a charity game in Russia. It was just a few weeks removed from being traded from Tampa Bay, and he was curious about life in Utah. While in Moscow, he found a pretty good resource: former Utah Jazz All-Star Andrei Kirilenko.
"He said it's a very family-oriented community and everybody's super nice," Sergachev said. "They want to help you — not because you are a hockey player or an NBA player, just because you are new to the city. That's what we've felt."
Now, it's about feeling at home on the fresh ice of Utah.
Sergachev was traded to Utah after eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he grew into one of the young defensive stars of the game, helping the Lightning to two Stanley Cup titles and partnering with perennial Norris finalist Victor Hedman to form one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL.
He was a protege of sorts, an understudy to one of the game's best defensemen. In Utah, he can step out of the shadow and lead his own blue line.
"I think that's something he wants," general manager Bill Armstrong said. "He wants to become a No. 1 defenseman. … Those guys play huge minutes in every situation — power play, PK, up by a goal, down by a goal. Those guys are your guys."
If anything else, Sergachev will get the opportunity to prove he is that type of player in Utah; and he showed plenty of time in Tampa that he has that potential. In his best moments, Sergachev is a beast of a two-way defenseman. He has a quick stick, isn't afraid to lay out big hits, and has been known to get in a few fights. Oh, and then there's his wicked wrist shot from the blue line (which might be seen more in Utah with more opportunity) which has helped him be a consistent point-getter.
He brings a tenacity to the ice that can shift momentum and games. Sergachev's fight with Buffalo's Jake McCabe during the 2019-20 season is lovingly remembered by Lightning fans as one of the catalysts to Tampa's dominant run to the Stanley Cup that season.
If everything comes together, he can be a cornerstone in Utah for years. Sergachev understands that and his position with his new franchise, but he doesn't think it's valuable to stress about outward expectations.
"I don't put any pressure on myself to be like that No. 1 guy," he said.
He said there's no checklist to accomplish to be considered a team leader. In short, he plans to be the same guy he's always been.
"I'm just trying to be myself and play the best as I can and see what happens," he said.
That's how head coach Andre Tourigny sees it, too. Sure, he knows what Sergachev can do on the ice already, but who is he to project how a player will grow — and that goes for everyone on the Utah Hockey Club roster.
"I don't want to ever put a lid on it," Tourigny said. "So Sergachev arrived here, he has expectations for himself, we have a commitment, but I have to give him a chance to exceed — or at least achieve — his own expectations. I will give him the opportunity; that's my job. It's the same thing for our player who played in Tucson (in the AHL) last year. They arrived here and they want me to give them a chance."
In Utah, Sergachev has that chance — along with a few loaves of bread.
