Arsenii Sergeev Becomes The First Shreveport Mudbug To Make NHL Debut

History was made last night for hockey fans in the Shreveport-Bossier area. It is the moment many fans have waited for since the Shreveport Mudbugs returned to the ice as a part of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

We got to see the first Shreveport Mudbugs player make their NHL debut.

The Shreveport Mudbugs Invade The NHL

Arsenii Sergeev is officially the first former Shreveport Mudbug to ever play in the NHL.

Seeing a local favorite reach the highest level of the sport is a massive win for the city. The goalie has constantly shown why he was a standout during his time in the 318 at every stop of his journey. Which continued last night on the ice in Calgary.

Rookie Goalie Gets First Career Win For Calgary

Sergeev suited up for the Calgary Flames, and earned a huge victory in his first career start. He faced down the Los Angeles Kings, and looked like a seasoned pro while making critical saves throughout the night.

His performance helped the Flames secure the win, and gave Flames fans another thing to be hopeful for with their rebuild. The team won't be participating in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so this will be Sergeev's only NHL game for a little while.

The Flames franchise is going to focus on youth over the next few seasons, as their years-long rebuild is finally reaching maturity. With Sergeev's consistency at every level of hockey, he might have made himself a part of that plan. Although there are a few players ahead of him in the franchise-wide depth chart, games like last night will help change that order.

Championship Pedigree From The NAHL

Shreveport fans remember when Sergeev was a wall in front of the net the Mudbugs. He was the key piece of the Robertson Cup championship team in 2021. That championship experience may have helped prepared him for the pressure of professional hockey.

That season, Sergeev played 20 games for the Mudbugs, with a 14-4-2 record and a .936 save percentage. His play throughout the playoffs was really how he left his mark in Shreveport, being a key cog in the championship team.

The Mudbug Pipeline To The National Stage

Sergeev is not the only former player making waves on the national stage right now...

Former Mudbug Kason Muscutt just finished a stellar run in the Frozen Four with the Michigan Wolverines as a freshman.

Kason joined the team late in the season, but earned playing time instantly. He scored his first career goal against Wisconsin in a 3-1 win. He ended his (short) season with 3 goals to go along with 5 penalties.

With all the talent moving through the Shreveport Mudbugs system, you should make sure to catch some games. Because you never know who the next player is that will go from George's Pond to the national stage.