Latest news with #Bjorkstrand
New York Times
19-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tampa Bay's Oliver Bjorkstrand out for series, Matthew Tkachuk nears return for Panthers
The battle of Florida figures to produce plenty of injuries given that the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning own one of the NHL's most tenacious rivalries and are preparing for battle beginning with Tuesday's Game 1 of their much anticipated Stanley Cup playoff series. Before the series even begins, Lightning coach Jon Cooper has announced that one of his more versatile forwards won't play against Florida. Advertisement Cooper announced on Saturday that forward Oliver Bjorkstrand will miss the entire series against Florida because of a lower-body injury that was sustained on April 11 against the Detroit Red Wings. The loss of Bjorkstrand is a considerable blow to Tampa Bay's secondary scoring. Bjorkstrand was acquired by the Lightning earlier this season from the Seattle Kraken in a move that also saw forward Yanni Gourde return to Tampa. The 30-year-old Bjorkstrand has been a steady offensive contributor throughout his 10-season NHL career. He has eclipsed 20 goals in six seasons. Bjorkstrand has played well since joining the high-flying Lightning, producing five goals and nine points in 18 games. Bjorkstrand has also been a fairly strong postseason performer in his NHL career, accumulating 10 goals and 20 points in 45 career Stanley Cup playoff games. Tampa Bay is 9-5-4 with Bjorkstrand in the lineup. His injury is just one of numerous storylines in this series pertaining to health. About 260 miles southeast, Matthew Tkachuk skated with his Panthers teammates during practice on Saturday. Tkachuk, injured in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, hasn't played a game with the Panthers since Feb. 8. There is considerable hope that the face of the defending champion Panthers will be available when the puck drops for Game 1 at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Tampa's Amalie Arena. Tkachuk has registered 46 points in 44 games during the Panthers' past two postseasons, both of which resulted in trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk had 22 goals and 57 points in 55 games this season before being derailed by a lower-body injury. 'It was a special teams day, so it's not a lot of contact, not a lot of five men moving, but it was a good day for where we're at,' Florida coach Paul Maurice said of Tkachuk. 'Matthew looked like Matthew. He looked fine, but it wasn't a heavy enough day, or from a duration point of view, long enough to make a game assessment. We'll see how it comes back in and put the whole group back on the ice on Monday (at practice).'
Reuters
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Lightning F Oliver Bjorkstrand out for series vs. Panthers
April 19 - Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand will not play in the team's Eastern Conference first-round series against the Florida Panthers, head coach Jon Cooper announced on Saturday. Bjorkstrand is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury that he sustained the injury during Tampa Bay's 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on April 11. Bjorkstrand, 30, has nine points (five goals, four assists) in 18 games with the Lightning since the club acquired him from the Seattle Kraken prior to the NHL trade deadline. He recorded 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 61 games with the Kraken in 2024-25. A third-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2013 NHL Draft, Bjorkstrand has totaled 384 points (172 goals, 212 assists) in 624 career games with the Blue Jackets, Kraken and Lightning.
Reuters
05-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
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.
New York Times
05-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Lightning acquiring Yanni Gourde, Oliver Bjorkstrand from Kraken: Sources
The Tampa Bay Lightning are acquiring forwards Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken for a package that includes two first-round picks, league sources said Wednesday. Tampa Bay will send Seattle 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, a 2025 second-round pick (the Toronto Maple Leafs' pick) and forward Michael Eyssimont. The Kraken will also send the Lightning a 2026 fifth-round pick. Advertisement Gourde was No. 19 on The Athletic's latest trade board, while Bjorkstrand was No. 23. Gourde, 33, previously played with the Lightning from 2015 to 2021, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. Gourde was selected by the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft ahead of their inaugural season and has since spent parts of four seasons with Seattle. He returned to the lineup Tuesday for the first time since Jan. 2 after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia. Seattle gets first round pick in 26, first round pick in 27, Toronto's 2nd in '25 and Eyssimont in trade with get Gourde and Bjokstrand plus 5th Rd pick in '26 — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 5, 2025 Bjorkstrand, 29, tallied a career-high 59 points for Seattle last season and has 16 goals and 21 assists in 61 games in 2024-25. Eyssimont, 28, will join his fourth team in as many seasons after previous stints with the Winnipeg Jets and San Jose Sharks. This story will be updated.
