Yanni Gourde (© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9319ec0a-8be1-46a3-a7b7-d1707548444d.jpeg] Yanni Gourde (© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images) At the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Tampa Bay Lightning [http://v/] made a significant move. They acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand and old friend Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken in a three-team trade that also included the Detroit Red Wings. With the Lightning needing more secondary offensive production, it was not surprising in the slightest that they brought in Bjorkstrand and Gourde from the Kraken. Bjorkstrand will be more than a rental for the Bolts, too, as he is signed until the end of the 2025-26 season. Yet, when it comes to Gourde, it is not a guarantee that he will stay a Bolt beyond this season. Gourde, 33, is currently in the final season of his contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. However, when looking at how perfectly Gourde has fit into the Lightning's system during his second stint with the club, they should work hard to sign him to a contract extension. Gourde has been quite impactful since returning to the Lightning, posting 14 points, 50 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 21 regular-season games since the trade. With this, he has not only given the Lightning more offense but also plenty of grit in the process. In addition, he has been rewarded for his strong play, as he has been on the top line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning missed Gourde tremendously when they lost him in the 2021 NHL expansion draft to the Kraken, so they should work hard to avoid losing him again. He is exactly the kind of scrappy middle-six forward they should be keeping around, and it will be intriguing to see if they can extend him from here. In 331 games over his two stints with the Lightning, Gourde has 81 goals, 201 points, 332 hits, and a plus-52 rating. He also, of course, was a key part of the Lightning's 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup championships. Recent Lightning News Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Wins Second Straight Art Ross Trophy [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0b91c290-40d5-401a-89ea-a602b2ebf98a.jpeg] Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Wins Second Straight Art Ross Trophy The 2024-25 regular season came to an end on April 17, and the playoffs are now here. The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> will kick off their first-round series against the Florida Panthers on April 22, and it is expected to be a fun one. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-nikita-kucherov-wins-second-straight-art-ross-trophy] Lightning Announce Roster Move Ahead Of Rangers Matchup [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/6a0d1afa-b27f-4732-8b8f-e6627c8e4a46.jpeg] Lightning Announce Roster Move Ahead Of Rangers Matchup The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> have made a roster move ahead of their regular-season finale against the New York Rangers, recalling veteran forward Cam Atkinson from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightning-announce-roster-move-ahead-of-rangers-matchup] Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy Receives Massive Praise From Peers [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b6f46f6c-77a5-4ff5-91f8-c9b64df0358c.jpeg] Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy Receives Massive Praise From Peers The NHLPA has <a href="https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2024-25">released their player poll</a> for the 2024-25 season, and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy received some massive praise in it. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-andrei-vasilevskiy-receives-massive-praise-from-peers] Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Beats Connor McDavid In Player Poll [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e8f56f21-f0e7-4d94-9198-2b3c77c24d2b.jpeg] Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Beats Connor McDavid In Player Poll <a href="http://v/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> superstar Nikita Kucherov is having another remarkable season in 2024-25. In 76 games, the 31-year-old winger has 36 goals and leads the NHL with 119 points. This is after he won the Art Ross Trophy and became the first winger in NHL history to record 100 assists in a single season. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-nikita-kucherov-beats-connor-mcdavid-in-player-poll]
