The Tampa Bay Lightning have officially made their first big trade of the season. It is a three-team deal between the Lightning, Seattle Kraken, and Detroit Red Wings. Here are is the complete trade:
- Lightning Get: Yanni Gourde (50% salary retention by SEA and 25% by DET), Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kyle Aucoin's signing rights, and Seattle's 2025 fifth-round pick
- Kraken Get: Michael Eyssimont, Tampa Bay's 2026 and 2027 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick (from TOR)
- Red Wings Get: conditional 2025 fourth-round pick
With this move, the Lightning have greatly boosted their forward depth. Bjorkstrand and Gourde should be significant additions to the Lightning's roster as they look to go on a run this post-season.
Bjorkstrand, 29, has appeared in 61 games this season, posting 16 goals and 37 points. With numbers like these, he should be the answer to the Lightning's clear hole at the 2RW spot in their lineup. He is a consistent 20-goal scorer who also will be a fit on their power play as well. He is also more than a rental for Tampa, as he signed until the end of next season with a $5.4 million cap hit.
As for Gourde, he should once again be an integral part of Tampa Bay's bottom six. They were linked to him leading up to the deadline, and now the reunion has officially come to fruition. In 36 games this season, the two-time Stanley Cup winner has six goals and 17 points.
Eyssimont should be a solid pickup for the Kraken's roster. In 57 games this season, the 6-foot forward has five goals, 10 points, and 82 hits. This is after he had 11 goals and 25 points in 81 games last season. Overall, he was a very solid energy player for the Lightning, so he will be missed. However, the additions of Bjorkstrand and Gourde certainly help lessen the sting.
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