TAMPA — Mikhail Sergachev is still unable to bring himself to watch the footage of the incident that prematurely concluded his regular season two months ago at Madison Square Garden.
The memories are still too fresh, evoking negative emotions. The scars from his leg surgery, visible above his knee, on the upper side of his inner calf, and across the front of his ankle, serve as a daily reminder whenever he gears up for practice.
The Lightning defenseman has realized that his path back to the rink is best navigated by looking ahead, not dwelling on the past.
It has been nine weeks since Sergachev sustained a leg injury that caused it to give way under the pressure of his own weight during a puck battle in the Lightning’s first game following the All-Star break on Feb. 7 against the Rangers, fracturing both his fibula and tibia.
Sergachev made his return to Lightning practice on Monday, donning a red no-contact jersey. He has been on the ice for nearly four weeks but is still a long way from complete recovery. A firm timeline for a potential postseason comeback remains elusive. Nonetheless, this experience of returning from his most significant career injury has offered him valuable insights about himself.
“It’s all about the mental aspect,” Sergachev explained. “Physically, my leg is stable with a metal rod in place, so that’s not a concern. The main challenge lies in my mental state… It’s about building confidence. Tasks that seem routine to others felt like scaling Mount Everest for me.
While his fellow teammates gear up for the playoffs, Sergachev is focused on regaining his strength. This process has been a deliberate journey with its share of ups and downs. He has found support from teammates, particularly captain Steven Stamkos, who experienced a similar setback when he fractured his right leg colliding with a goal post in 2013. Like Sergachev, Stamkos was carried off the ice on a stretcher.
Stamkos commented, “Until you experience it firsthand, you can’t anticipate the challenges or how you’ll handle it emotionally, which I believe is the toughest part.”
“Physically, bodies heal with time; that’s a known fact… Having been through it, there are periods when you doubt if you’ll ever return to hockey, then gradually you witness progress and that fuels your enthusiasm, driving you towards the next milestone. I advised him that it’ll be a similar journey.
“There will be challenging and uncomfortable days, but they will improve. I believe he is now eager to progress to the next stage of his recovery, which is very encouraging to witness.
Leave a Reply