Lightning trade Mikhail Sergachev, Tanner Jeannot ahead of free agency

TAMPA — Trading away an existing contract seemed inevitable if the Lightning were going to ensure that Steven Stamkos remains a Bolt for life.

But the move they made Saturday was a shocking one, dealing 26-year-old budding superstar defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club during the second day of the NHL draft in Las Vegas.

In the trade, the Lightning received defenseman J.J. Moser and center Conor Geekie, Toronto’s second-round pick next year and the 199th overall selection on Saturday. More importantly, the Lightning retained none of Sergachev’s contract, which carries an $8.5 cap hit for the next seven years.

Minutes after dealing Sergachev, the Lightning also dealt forward Tanner Jeannot to the Kings. The Lightning paid a heavy price to acquire Jeannot at the 2023 trade deadline in a package that included five draft picks, one from each of the first five rounds.

With the moves, the Lightning cleared $11.15 million in cap space, which will presumably allow them to not only re-sign Stamkos but sign defenseman Victor Hedman to an extension, two of the franchise’s iconic players in Lightning uniforms for the entirety of their careers.

This story will be updated.

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