TAMPA, Fla. — Then-Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde found out Wednesday morning that he'd been traded. The only problem was he didn't know where he was headed.
It took nearly three hours for Gourde's agent to tell him he was heading back to where it all started. Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois traded for Gourde and fellow Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand before Friday's deadline.
Gourde played the first six seasons of his NHL career with the Lightning, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. But the Bolts lost Gourde to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft ahead of the 2021-'22 season.
Yanni said he was "super excited" to head back to the Sunshine State, but he admitted that waiting to hear his fate really wasn't easy.
"It was long [haha]. It was one of the longest three hours… yeah, for sure," he joked after Thursday's morning skate. You don’t know, are you packing… what are you packing for?"
Once he heard the good news, Gourde, 33, couldn't wait to get back to 401 Channelside Drive.
"You always let your mind wonder if it could be possible. But yeah, this is awesome," he added. "I’m super excited to join this team and win some games."
A lot has changed since Gourde's last shift with the Lightning, but Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper knows exactly what he's getting in #37.
"He just brings an element. His physical stature doesn’t matter. It’s the size of his heart. I think that’s why he was such a fan-favorite here," Cooper said when describing how Gourde, who's a free agent after this season, will fit in with this roster.
Bjorkstrand, whose right-handed shot made him an attractive piece to the Bolts puzzle, is excited to join a franchise that is making yet another postseason push.
"They’ve established themselves as a winning organization. Obviously, you can see in the line-up, there’s a lot of great players," he said after Thursday's workout. "It’s a team you look at that I’m sure a lot of guys want to be a part of. It’s the same for me. Just really excited about it."
Both Gourde and Bjorkstrand will be in the line-up tonight when the Lightning face off against the Buffalo Sabres at AMALIE Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7 p.m.
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