Sergachev takes shot at Leafs playoff struggles
Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev took several shots at the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason, and he doesn’t appear to be done just yet.
For the first time since 2004, the Maple Leafs were able to advance past the first round of the playoffs last season, sending the Lightning home as a result. Their celebration after advancing past the first round didn’t sit well with Sergachev, and he chose to take another shot through the media ahead of tonight’s game between the two teams.
“Probably that we lost and [had] a long summer. So, yeah, that’s probably what they feel every year,” Sergachev said.
While some may suggest Sergachev shouldn’t be taking shots given that the Lightning were eliminated in the first round of last year’s playoffs, the fact of the matter is that he and his teammates were able to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, while advancing to the Cup Final once again in 2022. Though their run was short-lived last year, it is impossible to deny the recent success he and his teammates have had.
Sergachev’s first comments regarding his distaste towards the Leafs came in early August, where he said he didn’t feel the need to give them any credit after advancing past the first round.
“Why, I don’t think they deserved them,” he explained. “Good on them [for advancing]. But they didn’t go through [the] second round. I don’t see a reason to celebrate.”
He then made sure to, once again, remind everyone of the fact that the Leafs failed to advance through the second round when speaking with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman ahead of the 2023-24 season.
“We don’t want to be the team that finally got Toronto to the second round, and they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Sergachev said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “They didn’t go through the second round. But we didn’t want to be that and lose to them.”
With all of the comments Sergachev has made this offseason, paired with the numerous intense playoff battles these two teams have had in recent years, it should make for an exhilarating game tonight. Puck drop is set for 5:00 pm ET.
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