Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev headed to long-term injured reserve
TAMPA — The Lightning have placed Mikhail Sergachev on long-term injured reserve.
The move sidelines the left-shot defenseman for at least the next four games but allowed the team to recall Sean Day and Declan Carlile from AHL Syracuse before tonight’s game in Minnesota to help a depleted blue line.
Sergachev was injured on Dec. 19, when he took a puck to the back of his left foot. Initially, coach Jon Cooper hoped Sergachev would miss only two games before the holiday break and be able to return after a week of recovery time.
That timetable was clearly overly optimistic. Sergachev has now missed six games, and after being placed on LTIR must miss a total of 10 games and 24 days. Since the move is backdated to his last game, Sergachev will be eligible to return against the Ducks Jan. 13 at Amalie Arena.
The Lightning previously placed left-shot defenseman Haydn Fleury on LTIR. Fleury, who was knocked out of the win over Montreal on Dec. 31, is not eligible to return until Jan. 22. Right-shot defenseman Erik Cernak, who was knocked out of the same game, is listed as day to day.
After playing just five defensemen in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss in WInnipeg, the Lightning will need help from two players with little NHL experience. This is the fourth time in the past three weeks Tampa Bay has recalled Day without him seeing ice time. He almost definitely will play now. The Lightning played with just two left-shot defensemen against the Jets: Victor Hedman logged 29:14 of ice time, Calvin de Haan 21:17.
Day, who turns 26 next week, has no goals and eight assists in 17 games with the Crunch. He said last month he has found his defensive game under the new coaching staff in Syracuse. He played two games for the Lightning in 2021-22, averaging 10:43 of ice time.
Carlile, 23, has three goals and nine points in 31 games in his second full AHL season. He had eight goals and 24 points last season at Syracuse. Should he play for the Lightning, he will be making his NHL debut.
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