Utah’s Mikhail Sergachev day-to-day with upper-body injury

The Utah Hockey Club announced Saturday that defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is out day-to-day due to an upper-body injury, with Utah head coach Andre Tourigny adding that Sergachev is ‘banged up a little bit’, per Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Skating in his first season in Utah, Sergachev has made 44 appearances in which he has collected eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has also averaged 25:45 in time on ice, second league-wide to only Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Following seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sergachev joined Utah in the offseason as part of a blockbuster deal that saw the NHL’s newest franchise part with four pieces including 20-year-old center Conor Geekie and fellow rearguard J.J. Moser plus second- and seventh-round draft selections.

In Sergachev’s absence, Utah will see defenseman Nick DeSimone draw into the lineup. Claimed off waivers from the New Jersey Devils in early January, DeSimone has seen two showings in Utah, coming away with one assist and a plus-one rating.

With Sergachev sidelined, he joins a crowded injured reserve in Utah that already counts offensive rearguard Sean Durzi, who has been out of the lineup for all but four games this season after suffering a shoulder injury in mid-October.

On Tuesday, Utah received a positive update on the injury front as blue-liner John Marino made his season debut after suffering a back injury prior to training camp. On the same day Sergachev was added from the Lightning, Utah also acquired Marino from the Devils in exchange for a two second-round draft choices.

Facing off against the Central Division rival St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Utah sits 18-19-7 on the season and six points shy of the Calgary Flames for the second wildcard seed in the Western Conference.