Mikhail Sergachev put together the kind of season that usually gets a defenseman noticed. He finished with 10 goals and 49 assists for 59 points in 2025-26, added 21 power-play assists and five power-play goals, and logged 24:17 of ice time per game while posting a plus-2. That’s a strong offensive package, especially from a player who isn’t being sheltered on the back end.
So when the NHL released its top 20 defenseman list and Sergachev was left out, it stood out.
The 28-year-old, who was traded by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2024 to the Mammoth, has been part of a team that has now made three straight seasons with a major trade, with Sergachev as the first of those moves. His numbers dipped a bit in goals from 15 the season before to 10, but the overall production still made him one of the more dangerous blue-liners in the league.
The top of the list features names that are hard to argue with, including Cale Makar, Zack Werenski, and Quinn Hughes. But the lower end of the ranking raises more questions, especially with players such as Devon Toews, Shea Theodore, Victor Hedman, and Jackson Lacombe placed ahead of Sergachev.
That’s where the snub argument really takes shape. Hedman, for example, appeared in only 33 games last season, yet still landed above Sergachev. Some of those defenders are clearly accomplished, but Sergachev’s case is built on both production and workload, and that combination is tough to ignore.
If he wants to change the conversation, Sergachev will have a chance to do it the old-fashioned way: keep piling up offense and keep forcing NHL.com to take another look.
In Other News...
Roadrunners Bring Back Jack Ricketts With More Than Depth At Stake
The Tucson Roadrunners have added a familiar face back into the fold, signing forward Jack Ricketts to a one-year AHL contract as they continue to shape next seasons roster. Ricketts spent the previous season split between Tucson and Utah, contributing both offensively and physically, and his path to the pros included strong college stops at Quinnipiac and Holy Cross.
For the Roadrunners, this is the kind of move that can matter well beyond simple organizational depth. Ricketts already knows the league, has shown he can handle a variety of roles, and arrives with a rsum that suggests he can give Tucson some flexibility as camp approaches, even if the full picture of where he fits is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]