In a moment that has sent shockwaves through the NHL conversation, Utah Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev didn’t hold back when asked about his time playing under current Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill.
Speaking on the Russian hockey podcast Smol Talk, Sergachev—who spent multiple seasons as a key defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning—recalled a sharp and unsettling shift that came when Blashill joined the team’s coaching staff.
“And then we changed our system — the coach from Detroit came in,” Sergachev said bluntly. “We had gone to three finals, and this guy comes in and says: ‘We’re not playing like that anymore. Now we’re playing like [expletive] Vegas.’ And we’re all like, ‘Why?’”
According to Sergachev, Blashill scrapped the system that had propelled Tampa Bay to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and instead tried to implement a model more aligned with the Vegas Golden Knights. The result? Chaos on the ice, according to the defenseman.
“It didn’t work for me. Didn’t work for anyone. Everyone ended up with a negative plus-minus. We were all getting outscored,” he added.
The remarks pull back the curtain on real tension between player expectations and coaching philosophy, and highlight the pressure on Blashill as he now takes the reins in Chicago, a franchise deep in a rebuilding phase but hopeful for a return to Stanley Cup contention.
A Divided Legacy — And A City Watching
Blashill, who served as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons before his stint in Tampa, has long been known for his structured, defense-first approach. While some—like Sergachev—see it as a stifling change that disrupted chemistry, others have spoken in his defense.
Former Blackhawk Brandon Hagel, who also played under Blashill with the Lightning, painted a very different picture in a recent interview:
“He teaches you how to play the right way. He’s hard on you but very understanding. You can tell him what you think. He’s very easy to approach.”
And Blackhawks legend Chris Chelios has praised Blashill for being structured, communicative, and particularly effective with younger players.
The Blackhawks’ Big Bet
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson brought in Blashill with a clear plan: develop the next generation of Blackhawks stars and bring long-term success through structure, discipline, and patience. Despite Sergachev’s warning shot, Davidson remains confident:
“Jeff is an incredibly smart and talented coach… he’s thrived when in a position to develop young players,” Davidson said at Blashill’s introductory press conference.
With emerging talents and a new direction, the Blackhawks are banking on Blashill’s ability to mold the next core — even if some former players see his system as flawed.
What It All Means
Sergachev’s comments don’t just reflect personal frustration — they highlight the deep divide that can exist between NHL locker rooms and coaching visions. And while one player’s clash may not define a coach’s future, it does set the stage for higher expectations in Chicago.
If Blashill succeeds, he’ll quiet critics and cement himself as the architect of the Blackhawks’ rebirth. But if his system falls flat again — especially in a city as hockey-passionate as Chicago — his loudest critics might have been right all along.
