Pierre LeBrun isn’t completely confident Yanni Gourde will be traded by the Seattle Kraken, but should he be, watch out for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In a recent article for The Athletic, LeBrun listed the Maple Leafs as his team to land Gourde in a deal ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. Saying he’s a good fit, LeBruin also suggested Gourde would be open to joining the Leafs.
Gourde has a 23-team trade list as part of his contract. He can essentially list 9 teams he won’t go to.
Noting that the Kraken once had a similar decision to make with Jordan Eberle and chose to re-sign the forward instead of trading him. LeBrun writes that the Kraken may do the same with Gourde. He notes, “It remains to be seen whether the Kraken will actually make Gourde available ahead of the deadline.”
LeBrun adds:
Seattle now needs to make a decision on Gourde, and as of writing this, there haven’t been any contract discussions. If indeed Gourde is moved, my matchmaking crystal ball has him landing with Toronto because he fits the criteria of what the Leafs need as far as a third-line center upgrade. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning and plays the kind of game that translates come playoff time. He’s got a modified no-trade, but my understanding is he would have no issue with a move to the Leafs. And he’s the kind of player general manager Brad Treliving appreciates — not shying away from the rough-and-tumble hockey played in playoffs.
What Are The Kraken Going to Want for Gourde?
The Leafs are looking for depth at forward, and if the Kraken choose to move the pending UFA, they have the means to retain the salary of a player. It’s not clear what it would cost the Leafs to acquire Gourde, but he’s got five goals and 15 points in 32 games. His career high is 64 points, which he got with the Lightning four seasons before being drafted in the expansion draft by Seattle. It will take a pick or a solid prospect to get Gourde out of Seattle at a retained salary.
The good news is that Gourde might be open to re-signing in Toronto if things work out. That makes him better than a rental.
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