The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired center Yanni Gourde, winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a first-round selection in both 2026 and 2027, a second-round pick in 2025, and forward Michael Eyssimont, the teams announced Wednesday.
Detroit Red Wings facilitated the deal as brokers. The Kraken are retaining 50% of Gourde’s $5.17-million cap hit, while the Red Wings are taking on 25%, reducing his cap hit to just under $1.3 million for the Lightning.
Detroit will receive the earlier selection between Tampa Bay’s or Edmonton’s fourth-round pick this year for its involvement.
The Lightning also acquired unsigned Harvard defenseman Kyle Aucoin from the Red Wings.
The first-round picks headed to Seattle are top-10 protected. If either pick becomes a 2028 first-rounder, the Kraken will receive an additional third-round pick in that same draft, per TSN’s Chris Johnston. If both picks slide, Seattle will get a third-round selection in 2029 as well.
Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois expects both new additions to be in the lineup Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, according to Gabby Shirley.
“We’re adding two players who are going to play significant minutes for us,” BriseBois said. “Two players who are highly competitive, have had success in postseasons in the past, have elevated their game when it matters most.”
Bjorkstrand is signed for one more season at $5.4 million, while Gourde is a pending unrestricted free agent.
“It’s premature to talk about re-signing Yanni right now, but that’s certainly a conversation we’re going to have,” BriseBois said, according to NHL.com’s Benjamin Pierce. “And part of the rationale for making this trade is I am hopeful and I am optimistic that we’re going to be able to keep Yanni beyond this season.”
Gourde won two Stanley Cup championships with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021.
The 33-year-old center tallied 13 goals – including four game-winners – and 21 points in 48 playoff games during those championship runs as a key member of the Lightning’s third line.
Gourde spent the first six seasons of his career with the Lightning after going undrafted, before Seattle selected him in the 2021 expansion draft.
He has six goals and 17 points in 36 games this season. Gourde missed 22 games after undergoing sports hernia surgery in January. He returned Tuesday, recording one assist in Seattle’s 4-3 loss to Minnesota.
The Quebec native has 132 goals and 333 points in 581 career NHL games.
Bjorkstrand has 16 goals and 37 points in 61 games for Seattle this season. The 29-year-old winger has reached the 20-goal mark in each of his previous three seasons and five times in his NHL career.
He began his career with Columbus after the Blue Jackets selected him in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft. Seattle acquired him for a 2023 third- and fourth-round pick during the 2022 offseason.
Bjorkstrand has 167 goals and 375 points in 606 career games, plus 20 points in 45 playoff appearances.
Eyssimont joins Seattle with five goals and five assists in 57 games this season. The 27-year-old forward posted career highs with 11 goals and 25 points in 81 games for Tampa Bay last season.
An energetic forechecker, Eyssimont has also played for Winnipeg and San Jose. He carries a $800,000 cap hit and can become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Tampa Bay likely won’t pick in the first round again until 2028. They previously traded their 2025 first-rounder in the package for Tanner Jeannot, who they later sent to Los Angeles for a 2024 fourth-rounder and 2025 second-round pick.
“What guides us, what drives us, is trying to win a championship,” BriseBois said, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina. “That’s really hard, and in order to do that, you need a lot of good players. … I’d rather have a lineup full of good players than a bank of a ton of draft picks.”
He added: “Ultimately, the calculation is that trying and failing will yield less regret than failing to try.”
