With top-four defenceman Mikhail Sergachev having suffered a horrible-looking injury, the Bolts may be forced to target Calgary's shutdown defender

The trade rumour spotlight on Chris Tanev keeps shining brighter by the day with one month to the March 8 NHL trade deadline.

Easily, a case could be made for one-quarter of the league’s teams to be hunting for the Calgary Flames defenceman, who is due to become an unrestricted free-agent after this season.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were already seen as a potential suitor for the blood-and-guts defensive blueliner, and that interest may have ratcheted up after Wednesday’s game in which defenceman Mikhail Sergachev suffered a horrific looking injury and had to be taken from the ice via stretcher.

There is no timeline published how long Sergachev will be out of the lineup as of now, but it did not look like a short-term injury.

Tanev, a right-handed shot, would not be a replacement for Sergachev’s offensive skills, but could aid a Lightning team in the bottom third defensively.

Sergachev is a left-handed shot and the Lightning are blessed with an even number of righties, but finding a place for Tanev to fit would not be a problem.

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A litany of teams have been in the rumour mill regarding Tanev — Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton, Dallas, Winnipeg and tonight's opponents, the New Jersey Devils.

Reportedly, the Flames are looking for a second-round pick and more (prospect, second pick) or first-rounder in return.

The Lightning do not currently own their 2024 second-round pick — nor their 2024 or 2025 first-rounders — but a ’25 second-round pick may have more value than this summer’s selection as the Lightning fall further away from their Stanley Cup-winning seasons and potentially will fall further down the standings.