Athletistic/Hockey. Russian Mikhail Sergachev remains in Tampa. In addition, the hockey player signed an 8-year contract on very favorable terms.

Sergachev’s average salary under the new deal will be $8.5 million a year. Some see this as a big step forward, but many are convinced the Lightning are betting on the future and believe in the Russian defender.

“Mikhail’s salary will match the salary of Tampa’s chief defense officer, and in a few years it could well be,” The Athletic reporter wrote in his article.

Well, Sergachev’s desire for higher status in the team came true. After the “Tampa” exchanged Ryan McDonagh and decided to extend the agreement with Mikhail on such terms, it became clear that it was the Russian who would be bet on the main role of the Lightning defense in the future .

Here’s how American hockey fans reacted to the news of Sergachev’s contract extension:

pc:

– Sergachev will be a great player for “Tampa” for many years to come.

Juan Andrés S:

– Today Sergachev’s minuses are obvious. He still makes too many losses, but he is only 24 years old. It’s just a matter of better decision making when the player is with the puck. You must be patient. When it matures even more, this contract will prove to be an excellent investment for the future.

Jonathan M:

– 8.5 million dollars a year for a hockey player like Sergachev is a huge overpayment.

Marcus J:

– At first I didn’t like the new contract with Sergi, especially looking at the fact that he would receive more than Victor Hedman, but the more I thought about it and read various analyses, the more I felt that in the future this could degenerate into one of the best deals of the Julien Brisbois period. Sergachev will need to make adjustments to his game similar to those made by Kucherov, namely learning to better manage emotions and directing energy towards more active play in his own zone and that of others. He’s more than capable of it, and at 24, he still has some way to go in terms of progress.

MartinQ:

“Even after reading a few articles about how Tampa did, I’m still shocked at the salary. Did we get Bobby Orr or Ray Burke? Alright, only time will tell. Anyway , Sergi will have to take a few steps forward to prove that such a contract is well deserved.

Francois O:

– In the first days after the announcement of the terms of the new contract, I never ceased to be amazed at the amount of moaning from part of the Lightning fans. Sergachev is still very young, while he has the necessary qualities for the top level, moreover, the salary cap will obviously increase in two or three years. Everyone should celebrate that we have retained one of the team’s key players for the next decade.

WesleyP:

– If I saw the names of defensemen who, at the age of 24, have 2 championship rings, have played more than 400 NHL games and will at the same time earn 5-6 million in the coming years, then I would agree that the amount Sergi will receive under the new contract – overstated. So far, I don’t see any.

EdH:

– So far there are too many “ifs” in the story with Sergachev: if he can get rid of his stupid losses, if he is a more stable hockey player, if he can progress by playing on the power play… High the potential is great, but I remember that the same Jonathan Drouin was considered very promising, but then the club traded him (just for Sergachev). I have faith in Tampa management, but re-signing Sergi on these terms could be a costly mistake.

Sharon M:

– Maybe Mikhail is the future captain of “Tampa”? At least in his behavior, it’s starting to show. He behaves in an exemplary manner.

Hedman – about Sergachev: “The ceiling for him is just heaven”

Defender “Tampa” Sergachev supported Ivan Fedotov, sent to the army

Earlier, Sergachev answered when asked where he was going to spend the money he was entitled to under a new contract with the club.

On July 13, “Tampa Bay” announced the signing of an eight-year contract with Sergachev for a total of 68 million dollars. Mikhail became the highest-paid Russian defenseman in NHL history.

“I’m going to invest everything. I think I have everything, so there won’t be any serious expenses. I’m not a banker, so I’ll just be in real estate. I’m not going to open sinks or hookahs,” Sergachev told a news conference.

Andrei Lipatov, Sport.Ru