Sergachev thrilled for chance with Lightning: 'They asked for me'

Although he only has four NHL games under his belt, Mikhail Sergachev is eager for a fresh start.

The 19-year-old defenseman was dealt from the Montreal Canadiens - who drafted him ninth overall in 2016 - to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in the offseason in exchange for dynamic winger Jonathan Drouin.

While Sergachev was initially shocked to learn he'd be heading south at this stage of his career, it appears he's quickly adapted to his new situation.

"It's amazing that this team wants me more than Montreal, and they want me to come play in the NHL and they want me to try to help them," Sergachev told Corey Long of NHL.com. "That's why I love this team. Montreal needed Drouin and he's from there, and I think this is the only way Tampa (Bay) would have traded him was for me.

"They asked for me."

The trade was undoubtedly a blockbuster, but at this point, it's impossible to determine which team came away with the better player. Drouin is coming off a career-best season, and Sergachev is widely regarded as one of the top blue line prospects in the NHL.

Sergachev has the option to return to the Windsor Spitfires next season should he fail to crack Tampa Bay's roster, but after winning the Memorial Cup in May, he believes he's ready for a new challenge.

"I have to have a good summer, first of all, I have to be stronger," Sergachev said. "I have to be faster to play in the NHL overall to be successful. But I also played a lot in juniors, two years for me, I think is a lot and in Russia I played one year too.

"So I played a lot in juniors and I learned a lot from Windsor … so I think I'm ready for the NHL."