The Tampa Bay Lightning have provided an update on Thursday regarding defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, who had successful surgery for fractures on the tibia and fibula in his left leg.
Sergachev, 25, suffered the injury during the second period of Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers when he went in for a hit on Alexis Lafreniere. The Rangers winger defended the hit with a reverse hit, which caused Sergachev to fall to the ice, and he appeared to be in severe pain and grabbing his left leg, requiring a stretcher to get off the ice.
The Lightning released the following statement on their website and social media platforms about Sergachev’s status:
“Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev underwent successful surgery today in New York to stabilize fractures to both the tibia and fibula in his left leg, the team has announced. Sergachev is expected to return to Tampa in the coming days to immediately begin rehabilitation. A timetable for his return to the ice has not yet been established.“
The injury came during Sergachev’s first game back since injuring his foot in a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on December 19th. He’s already missed 17 games this season with injuries.
Sergachev didn’t take well to the situation either, posting his heartbreaking reaction to the injury on social media later on Wednesday night.
Sergachev hasn’t quite matched the production from his career-best year in 2022-23, with just 2 goals and 17 assists for 19 points in 34 games this season. It puts him on pace for just 36 points had he been healthy for the rest of the season, which is where his production has been for the five seasons prior to last year’s breakout.
Sergachev is a former 9th-overall selection of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 NHL Draft, playing just four games for the Habs in the 2016-17 season before he was traded to the Lightning as part of the return for Jonathan Drouin. He’s since spent the past seven seasons with Tampa Bay, winning two Stanley Cups with the team in 2020 and 2021.
The Lightning will look to bounce back from Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Rangers without Sergachev as they stay in the New York area to play the Islanders on Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. The Lightning currently sit in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 27-19-5 record.
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