The trade deadline is just under 49 hours away and the Tampa Bay Lightning who have recently been red hot receive reinforcements. The Lightning are 9-1-0 in their last ten and suffered their first regulation loss on Monday since January 28th. Today they improved their team as they acquired forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken, they also got a fifth-round pick in 2026 and in a salary retention deal, they acquired the rights to defenseman Kyle Aucoin from the Detroit Red Wings. The Lightning are sending a first-round pick in 2026, and in 2027, Toronto’s second-round pick in 2025, and forward Michael Eyssimont to Seattle. Detroit is acquiring a 2025 fourth-round pick from Tampa Bay either the Lightning or Edmonton Oilers pick. The Kraken is retaining 50% of Gourde’s contract, and Detroit is retaining 25%.
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Oliver Bjorkstrand
Bjorkstrand is in his tenth season. He spent his first seven seasons in Columbus who drafted him 89th overall in 2013. In 606 career games, he recorded 375 points on 167 goals and 208 assists. In his seven seasons in Columbus, he played in 382 games recording 234 points on 111 goals and 123 assists. He traded to Seattle on July 22, 2022. In three seasons with Seattle, he’s appeared in 224 games recording 141 points on 56 goals and 85 assists. This season in 61 games he has 37 points on 16 goals and 21 assists.
Yanni Gourde
Gourde returns to where his career started. He spent six seasons with the Lightning playing in 310 games recording 187 points on 80 goals and 107 assists. He won two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay. The Kraken drafted him in the expansion draft. He’s spent the last four seasons in Seattle playing in 271 games recording 146 points on 52 goals and 94 assists. In 581 career games, he has 333 points on 132 goals and 201 assists.
Michael Eyssimont
Eyssimont is in his fourth season and is now on his fourth team. He started with the Winnipeg Jets playing in 20 games recording five points on a goal and four assists. He then played in 20 games in 2022-23 with the San Jose Sharks recording eight points on three goals and five assists, he ended that season with the Lightning. In 153 games with Tampa Bay, he recorded 37 points on 17 goals and 20 assists. This season in 57 games he has ten points on five goals and five assists.
ITR 30: Down The Stretch – Inside The Rink
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