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The Lightning made long-term commitments to three players Wednesday, including an eight-year, $68 million contract extension for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
The pact, with an annual average payout of $8.5 million, places Sergachev among the top-earning defensemen in the NHL.
The 24-year-old Sergachev recorded seven goals and 31 assists in 78 games last season. The No. 9 pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft by the Canadiens, he boasts career totals of 36 goals and 138 assists in 362 regular-season games.
A two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning, Sergachev has posted eight goals and 22 assists in 92 career postseason games.
Tampa Bay also announced eight-year extensions with center Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Erik Černák. Cirelli’s deal will pay him an average annual value of $6.25 million, while Černák will earn an average of $5.2 million per year.
Cirelli tallied 17 goals and 26 assists in 76 games last season, and Cernak notched one goal and 13 assists while leading the team with 165 hits in just 55 games.
