SEATTLE — Center Yanni Gourde is the second member of the Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup championship team to move on this offseason.
The Seattle Kraken picked Gourde in the expansion draft. The league's 32nd team picked one player from every other team in the league except Las Vegas, who joined the NHL in 2017.
Your heart, passion and energy were unmatched.
The last six years would not have been the same without you.
Thank you, Yanni. You guys got a good one, @SeattleKraken.💙 pic.twitter.com/RmpjMhKnRm
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 22, 2021
Gourde, 29, scored 80 regular-season goals and 16 postseason goals in six seasons with Tampa Bay.
The Lightning already traded the rights to forward Barclay Goodrow to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 7th-round pick in 2022.
The reigning champs are about $5 million over the $81.5 million salary cap, so it's likely that a handful of other Bolts will be wearing different sweaters next season.
The NHL Draft takes place Friday and Saturday. Tampa Bay has six picks, but they won't make their initial selection until the third round.
