After much speculation and collusion at the galaxy-brain level, the Seattle Kraken stuck to a simple philosophy and selected the best available player from the list of allowed Tampa Bay Lightning – Yanni Gourde. The 29-year-old center will be promoted to one of the top two centers next season, subject to any trades or free agent acquisitions by the newest team in the league.
For most of the off-season, Seattle was expected to take the Quebec-born, and it was far from settled when the Lightning decided to protect defense attorney Ryan McDonagh instead of Gourde. The striker’s salary crisis and the depth of the team likely contributed to their decision not to protect the two-time 20-goal goalscorer. If there’s any consolation for Lightning fans, General Manager Julien BriseBois, who removed his $ 5.16 million cap hit, gives some air as he navigates through the roster structure this summer.
Gourde leaves the Lightning organization after six seasons after playing 310 games and scoring 187 points (80 goals, 107 assists). Originally undrafted despite outstanding QMJHL numbers as a junior hockey player, the little striker (5’9 “, 170 lbs) hopped around in the AHL and ECHL for a few seasons before the Lightning got him from the San Jose Sharks AHL subsidiary in Worchester Spring 2014.
Mr BrisBois was forward-looking in his assessment of the player at the time he declared the commitment,
“He’s a really smart player. He is an offensively talented player who can play in all situations thanks to his hockey instinct. He gives us a lot of skill. Our scouts saw him play this year and put him on their radar. ”
While Lightning’s scouting staff should be congratulated for finding and signing him, Gourde should also receive tremendous recognition for further developing his game. Many undrafted players get NHL contracts, not all improve their game to the point where they are valuable members of a consecutive Stanley Cup champion team.
Gourde continued to shape his game with crunch over the next three seasons, helping them to a Calder Cup final in 2016/17 by scoring 27 points (9 goals, 18 assists) in 22 games. He also appeared in 20 games for the Lightning that season after being called back several times during the season.
Gourde broke out the following season, appeared in all 82 games for the Lightning and achieved career highs with points (64), goals (25) and assists (39). That feat and a hot start to the 2018-19 season earned him a six-year extension of $ 31 million from the organization. Over the next two seasons, his offensive counts plummeted and earned him ridicule on social media from sections of the fan base, but that changed in the 2019-20 postseason when Coach Cooper met newbies Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman.
The trio gelled and quickly became one of Coach Cooper’s most trusted lines. At the start of periods, after goals, or late in close matches, whenever Coach Cooper needed a line he could trust, Gourde and his line-mates went over the boards. They usually rewarded him. In 2019-20, they controlled the game whenever they were on the ice, scoring 57.12 CF% and 56.85 xGF% with uniform strength. They duplicated that excellent game last season with 52.17 CF% and 54.76 xGF%.
Gourde embodied the effectiveness of this line by basically never stopping while on the ice. Whether skating, checking or yapping in the middle of the crowd, Gourde was in constant motion.
It wasn’t just his ability to play defense that made him (and his line) so effective. You could play the right game and turn it around on the other team. A case in point is his final goal in a Lightning uniform.
Goodrow forced a turnover on the Lightning Blueline and then helped Coleman get the puck through the neutral zone. Gourde immediately went to the top of the network, establishing himself ahead of Carey Price. Coleman fired his shot and Gourde tipped him. Defense to attack in 10 seconds. That made this line effective.
If there is one type of player who defined the Lightning during the Steve Yzerman / Julien BriseBois era, it is Yanni Gourde. Players often overlooked by other teams but possessing certain skills that, when shaped by lightning, make them a nightmare for other teams. He is missing in Tampa. Good luck in Seattle, Yanni!
The post Seattle Kraken chooses Yanni Gourde from the Tampa Bay Lightning first appeared on Daily Florida Press.
from Daily Florida Press https://dailyfloridapress.com/seattle-kraken-chooses-yanni-gourde-from-the-tampa-bay-lightning/
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