Former Lakehead defenceman Sagert suits up for Hungary at World Hockey Championship

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – There was a local tie to this year’s World Hockey Championship.

Former Lakehead Thunderwolves defenceman Kalvin Sagert competed for the surprising Hungarian team earlier this month.

“It was intense playing against some great teams but it was an amazing experience,” Sagert said in a release issued by the OUA Thunderwolves. 

“The competition was much faster than what I’ve seen before, but I thought we showed that we could compete at a high level.  And the amount of fan support we received throughout the tournament was amazing. Win or lose, they cheered us on and it was great to get a win for them against Belarus.”

Sagert patrolled the Lakehead blue-line for five seasons, from 2008 to 2013, scoring nine goals in 133 appearances.

A native of Abbotsford, B.C., the 29-year-old Sagert has spent the past two seasons playing professional hockey in Miskolc, Hungary, which made him eligible for citizenship. He spent a month training with the Hungarian national team in Budapest before travelling to St. Petersburg, Russia for the annual tournament.