Who would’ve thought the NHL and eggs would be in the same conversation? But here we are, and it is all thanks to Mikhail Sergachev, who is not only playing for Utah Hockey Club but also supplying eggs on the side. Sergachev has a whole backyard coop in Salt Lake City and he is single-handedly fighting the great American egg problem while providing his teammates with fresh farm produce for free. “I just have a lot of eggs,” he explained. “Once we hit like 24 or 30 eggs, I start giving them away to my teammates.” And don’t get it twisted—these chickens are living the high life. “Obviously I feed them well. I take care of them. Now there’s a shortage of eggs so guys appreciate it more.” A hockey player and a farm-to-table supplier? That’s a real teammate move.

But not all were convinced about the feasibility of Mikhail Sergachev’s egg business at first. That brings us to Nick Bjugstad, who had some apprehensions before getting into these backyard specials. “Everybody appreciates it. Except Bjugy. Bjugy was like, ‘Make sure your chickens are not sick or don’t have bird flu,’” Sergachev recalled, clearly still shook over the accusation. He found it “insane” that his teammate disrespected his chickens like that, but Sergachev “still gave him eggs because he said his wife went to the store and there were no eggs.” Now, that’s Sergachev’s side of the story, but what did Bjugstad have to say about the high-tension poultry drama?

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Bjugstad eventually got his hands on those golden backyard goodies—but not without some drama. After what he called a “formal apology,” the eggs finally made their way to him a week later. But hold up—Bjugstad swears this whole feud was blown way out of proportion.

“I did not say anything about the bird flu — I asked if it was hard keeping the eggs clean and if you ever have issues with getting sick from it or anything,” Bjugstad clarified. “He took very big offense to that. I did have to give him a formal apology. He was supposed to bring me eggs the next day and he didn’t bring me eggs. I had to apologize and he ended up bringing them. They were very good.” So, in the end, peace was restored, stomachs were fed, and Sergachev’s prized chickens remained undefeated.

What’s up with all the egg drama? Well, turns out the great egg shortage is not only affecting grocery stores but now enters the hockey arena as well. The prices of eggs have also been on the rise and have increased by 63% in the last one year, as estimated by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. And why? Blame the avian flu.

This contagious disease has killed over 110 million birds since January 2022, including countless egg-laying hens. Utah, Washington, and Oregon have been the most affected by the situation, making the shelves less stocked and players like Mikhail Sergachev become the go-to egg supplier. And while Mikhail Sergachev is helping off the ice through the eggs supply, he is no less on the ice either!

Mikhail Sergachev on the ice!

Bringing eggs for the boys is a solid move, but let’s be real—it won’t win you playoff spots. Luckily for Utah, Mikhail Sergachev isn’t just delivering fresh eggs; he’s delivering on the ice, too. The team is still fighting for the playoffs despite having a mere 28% chance (shoutout to Money Puck). It was all thanks to Sergachev’s mind-boggling skate save, that Utah could be on the right side of the 3-2 scoreboard in the game against the Anaheim Ducks.

“Really nice save by him there in the second,” Dylan Guenther said, giving props to his teammate. But Sergachev wasn’t done. The 26-year-old defenseman set up Guenther for the game-winner, proving their chemistry is only getting stronger. “It was just good recognition. I feel like we’ve gotten pretty good chemistry as we’ve continued to play together,” Guenther added.

And even when Utah does not win, Sergachev manages to bring them back into the game. It was his second period goal that equalized the score and ensured that Utah remained in the game during their 4-3 shootout defeat to the Maple Leafs. Whether he is defending his goal, passing for a goal or simply being the man for farm fresh eggs, Sergachev is that man for Utah. Guenther said it in the best way possible: “He’s the backbone of our team, and it’s great to have him.”