Mikhail Sergachev is having a tough time processing suffering a potentially long-term injury right after coming back from a different one.
The Lightning defenseman was stretchered off the Madison Square Garden ice Wednesday night in the second period of a 3-1 loss to the Rangers after his left leg bent awkwardly during a collision with Blueshirts winger Alexis Lafreniere.
The 25-year-old was playing his first game back from a left foot injury that cost him 17 games.
“Oh man, why me? Why now? After all the games missed, coming back and getting injured again, feels unfair, feels terrible,” Sergachev wrote in an emotional Instagram post after the injury. “Trying to stay calm and positive, but it’s impossible. After doing everything right I get this. The universe is unpredictable I guess, and has its own plans , but f–k the universe man, I know I’ll come back stronger and I know I’ll play better than before, but it’s tough right now, and it’s gonna be tough tomorrow.
“We all fight our own battles and this is mine. I’ll win, always do. Pain meds are good tho, if I was in the forest by myself I’d be dead, crazy innit?! Wanted to write how I feel here, don’t know why, but just wanted to let people that care about me know! I appreciate all of your messages. Thanks to the medical staff.”
Sergachev, the ninth overall pick by the Canadiens in the 2016 NHL Draft, has two goals and 17 assists in 34 games this season. He set career-highs with 54 assists, 64 points and an average of 23:49 of ice time last season.
“You want to try to rally behind that, but we’re humans first,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said after the game, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “And when you see something like that, like I said, it puts an uneasy feeling in your stomach. So it puts the game into perspective and we just hope he’s OK.”
Sergachev helped the Lightning win consecutive Stanley Cups in 2020 and ’21.
The Lightning (27-19-5) currently hold the first wild-card spot in the East.