The Seattle Kraken have announced that former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde will be out for the next five to seven weeks after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. 

Gourde, 33, has not played since the Kraken's Jan. 2 contest against the Vancouver Canucks. The former Bolt recently returned to practice in a non-contact jersey for Seattle, but this surgery will now keep him out for a longer period of time. 

Gourde has been generating plenty of chatter as a trade candidate. It is understandable, as he is a pending unrestricted free agent on a struggling Kraken team. However, him being out for several weeks could complicate things on that front.

Gourde has six goals, 16 points, and a minus-5 rating in 35 games this season with the Kraken.