Lightning acquire Bjorkstrand, Gourde from Kraken in 3-team swap
March 5 - The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde on Wednesday as part of a three-team swap.
The Lightning sent two conditional first-round picks (2026, 2027) and forward Michael Eyssimont to the Seattle Kraken. The first-round picks are top-10 protected. The Lightning also received a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Kraken.
"Oliver and Yanni were tremendous players for our organization who led by example on and off the ice, and I wish them all the best in their next chapter with the Lightning," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "Decisions like these are never easy, but creating this valuable cap space and draft capital allows us to be active in improving our team moving forward."
As part of the swap for Gourde, the Detroit Red Wings sent unsigned defenseman Kyle Aucoin to the Kraken. The Red Wings then shipped Gourde to the Lightning for a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick. The Red Wings retained 50 percent of Gourde's salary.
Bjorkstrand is in the fourth season of a five-year, $27 million contract ($5.4 million AAV) he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets in January 2021.
Bjorkstrand, 29, has 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 61 games this season. The 2023-24 All-Star has 375 points (167 goals, 208 assists) in 606 career games with the Blue Jackets (2015-22) and Kraken.
Gourde, 33, has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 36 games this season. He just returned Tuesday from a sports hernia injury that had sidelined him since Jan. 2.
He returns to Tampa, where he spent his first six NHL seasons and won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021. The Kraken selected him in the 2021 expansion draft. Gourde has 333 points (132 goals, 201 assists) in 581 career games.
Eyssimont, 28, has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 57 games this season.
Heading into Wednesday's action, the Lightning are the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Kraken are 11 points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
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