Lightning extend Sergachev, Cirelli, Cernak on 8-year deals; add Cole
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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defencemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak as well as forward Anthony Cirelli to eight-year contract extensions.
Sergachev is signing for an average annual value of $8.5 million, Cirelli for $6.25 million and Cernak for $5.2 million. All three players have won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
Sergachev had seven goals and 38 points in 78 games last season with the Lightning. In the playoffs, he had two goals and 10 points as Tampa Bay lost in the Stanley Cup Final in six games to the Colorado Avalanche.
Drafted ninth overall by the Montreal Canadiens at the 2016 NHL Draft, Sergachev was dealt to the Lightning in June 2017 for Jonathan Drouin. He won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
He is heading into the final season of a three-year, $14.4 million with an AAV of $4.8 million.
Cirelli, 24, had 17 goals and 43 points in 76 games last season. In 294 career NHL games, he has 66 goals and 159 points.
The 25-year-old Cernak had a goal and 13 points in 55 games last season. He has 16 goals and 59 points in 226 career NHL games.
Meanwhile, the Lightning announced later on Wednesday the signing of defenceman Ian Cole to a one-year, $3 million contract.
The 33-year-old spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, tallying two goals and 17 assists for 19 points in 75 games.
A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Cole was selected No. 18 overall in the 2007 NHL Draft.