Artem Sergeev

History

2009-10: A product of the Dynamo Moscow youth hockey program, Artem Sergeev played for the Chicago Young Americans U18 midget major team. He scored 9 goals with 29 assists and had 68 penalty minutes in 35 games. He was selected by Val-d'Or in the second round (72nd overall) in the 2010 CHL Import Draft.

2010-11: Sergeev played in 64 games for Val-d'Or in his first season in the QMJHL. He was the leading scorer amongst Foreurs defensemen with 5 goals and 22 assists and was minus-13 with 40 penalty minutes. Val'd'Or won just 25 games but reached the playoffs after finishing fifth in the West Division. Sergeev had 1 assist and was minus-five in the four-game series with the powerful Quebec Remparts.

2011-12: Sergeev played for Detroit's prospect team in the Traverse City Tournament before returning to Val-d'Or for a second season. He played 46 games for the Foreurs and represented Russia in the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He scored 7 goals with 13 assists and was minus-16 with 46 penalty minutes for the Foreurs, who finished under .500 but were second in the West Division. Sergeev had no points and 9 penalty minutes in three playoff games. In seven games for silver medal-winning Russia at the WJC he was plus-one with 1 goal and 1 assist. Sergeev signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Lightning in July, 2012.

Talent Analysis

An underrated blue liner at the junior level, Sergeev's talents attracted some big league attention. Like many Russians, he's a great skater with a level of mobility so smooth that his on-ice effort is sometimes called into question. Solid defensively with great positioning, he equally adept at making a safe first pass out of the zone or carrying the puck out himself. Though not particularly physical, he has good size and overall, his potential is very intriguing.