Julien BriseBois is putting the band back together.
After acquiring Ryan McDonagh following last season, the Tampa Bay Lightning general manager has put a deal together to acquire Yanni Gourde. Along with Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand will join the Lightning as they completely retool their bottom-six forward group. They are also getting a 2026 fifth-round pick. Going back to Seattle is Mikey Eyssimont, the Lightning’s 2026 first-round pick, their 2027 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick (originally Toronto’s) that the Lightning acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev trade. Seattle will retain 50% of Gourde’s cap hit.
The Detroit Red Wings will also retain 25% of Gourde’s salary in exchange for the higher of the Lightning’s 2025 fourth-round pick or Edmonton’s 2025 fourth-round pick (which the Lightning picked up last deadline for retaining salary in the Adam Henrique deal). The Lightning also acquire the rights to defensive prospect Kyle Aucoin, a 2020 sixth-round pick of the Red Wings (and the son of former Bolt Adrian Aucoin).
Gourde returned to action on Tuesday night after being out with an injury since January 2nd. He’s in the final year of the six-year contract he signed with Tampa Bay back in 2019 that had a cap hit of $5,166.667 before heading to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft. While he isn’t the same player he was with the Lightning during their Stanley Cup runs, Gourde is still an excellent depth center that is a true 200-foot player.
Yanni Gourde, acquired by TB, is a two-way centre who crashes the net, harrasses opponents with stick checks, board battles, forechecking, and even hits despite being only 5’9. Plays behind the net and extends possessions by protecting the puck and making low-to-high passes. Poor finishing touch.
— JFresh (@jfreshhockey.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
[image or embed]
He generates offensive chances (even if he doesn’t always score) and prevents scoring chances by the other team. He is exactly what the Lightning were looking for on the trade market. As an added bonus he is returning to a system that he is familiar with. At times, it has taken newly acquired players awhile to adapt to the Lightning system. Gourde should pop in and ramp up fairly quickly.
He would likely slot in to the third-line center spot giving the Lightning a solid stretch of players down the middle of the line-up with Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, Gourde, and Luke Glendening. Nick Paul likely moves to a wing position on the third or fourth line.
As for Oliver Bjorkstrand. Mr. BriseBois adds a solid winger that is on pace for the sixth 20-goal season in his ten-year career. Like Gourde, Bjorkstrand won’t hurt the Lightning in their own zone while providing consistent offense. Tampa Bay fans may remember him from his Columbus days when he was a splinter under the Lightning’s finger nails (7 goals and 15 points in 24 games against Tampa Bay in his career).
We had mentioned him in passing during our look at the Kraken as potential trade partners. Is he elite? No, but he is consistent scorer who believes in shooting the puck. He is a right-handed shot that averages 7.9 shots per game. He can bring the puck into the zone and is excellent at setting up his teammates for prime scoring chances and one-timers.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, acquired by TB, is a two-way scoring winger who carries the puck in transition and plays a shot-first game at even strength while dishing it on the powerplay. Works hard without the puck and has a good defensive stick. Not big or fast but protects the puck.
— JFresh (@jfreshhockey.bsky.social) March 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
[image or embed]
The 29-year-old is signed through the 2025-26 season and should slot in on the second line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. He’s also likely to see some time on the power play, and could find himself pulling the trigger on a lot of feeds from Victor Hedman or Nikita Kucherov.
As for the return. We all like Mikey Eyssimont. He plays hard, he creates chances, and hits everything on the ice that is moving. One thing he didn’t do is translate the offensive chances he created into actual goals (5 goals against a 9.01 xG at 5v5 this season). With the Lightning adding two forwards, they needed a spot on the roster and Eyssimont’s was the most vulnerable along with Cameron Atkinson, who cleared waivers today and was assigned to Syracuse.
We knew the second-round pick wasn’t going to make it draft day. From the moment Mr. BriseBois acquired it in the Mikhail Sergachev deal we knew he was going to deal it. Parting with two first-round picks is tough, but it keeps the prospects who are on the cusp of making the NHL in the system. The deal keeps the Lightning relevant in the Eastern Conference for this season and next season, especially if they re-sign Gourde to a short-term extension.
Mr. BriseBois isn’t concerned with the future. The Lightning’s best bet to win another Stanley Cup is now, not two years from now, and he acquired two players that should bolster the Lightning’s chances in the playoffs this season.
Potential Lines with acquisitions with 5v5 goals scored in parentheses:
Jake Guentzel (13)- Brayden Point (15) – Nikita Kucherov (19)
Brandon Hagel (20) – Anthony Cirelli (9) – Oliver Bjorkstrand (12)
Mitchell Chaffee (8) – Yanni Gourde (4) – Nick Paul (12)
Zemgus Girgensons (1) – Luke Glendening (3) – Gage Goncalves (2)
