Bjorkstrand, Gourde traded to Lightning by Kraken in 3-team deal

Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Seattle Kraken as part of a three-team trade also involving the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

Gourde was traded to the Red Wings for unsigned defenseman Kyle Aucoin. The Red Wings, who retained 50 percent of Gourde's contract, then traded him to the Lightning for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The Kraken received forward Michael Eyssimont, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and the 2027 NHL Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Lightning for Bjorkstrand, Aucoin and a fifth-round pick in 2026. Each of the two first-round picks is top-10 protected.

"We're adding two players that can play significant minutes for us," Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said. "Two players that are highly competitive, have had postseason success in the past and have elevated their game when it matters most. They are skilled, they play 200-foot games and they can be used in all sorts of situations."

Bjorkstrand is in the fourth season of a five-year, $27 million contract ($5.4 million AAV) he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 6, 2021, and can become an unrestricted free agent after next season.

The 29-year-old forward has 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 61 games with the Kraken this season.

Selected by Columbus in the third round (No. 89) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Bjorkstrand has 375 points (167 goals, 208 assists) in 606 regular-season games for the Kraken and Blue Jackets and 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 45 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"I think he's been pretty consistent if you look at his numbers year in and year out," BriseBois said. "You know what you're getting, you're getting a player that's really intelligent, he can play in all situations, he has a 200-foot game, he compliments good players because he is a good player himself."

Gourde is in the final season of a six-year, $31 million contract ($5.15 million average annual value) he signed with the Lightning on Nov. 2, 2018, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The 33-year-old has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 36 games with the Kraken this season.

Signed by Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent March 20, 2014, Gourde has 333 points (132 goals, 201 assists) in 581 regular-season games for the Kraken and Lightning and 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 83 playoff games.

"He's still a really good player," BriseBois said. "His main qualities are his speed, his competitiveness, his relentlessness, his fearlessness and he still has all that. ... The speed is definitely there, I'm sure his professionalism is still at that high level and his practice habits are still at a high level. He's going to bring a lot to the table, not just in the games, but just in this environment in general. His energy and again that relentlessness that really goes to the identity we want our team to have."

He won the Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 before he was claimed by Seattle in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.

The Lightning (36-21-4) are third in the Atlantic Division, three points behind the first-place Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

BriseBois said he was fine parting with several draft picks.

"I'd rather have a lineup full of good players than a bank of a ton of draft picks," BriseBois said. "Ultimately we're trying to win a lot of hockey games. We're trying to win a lot of hockey this season, next season, every season. We're chasing a championship now this season, but we're going to be chasing a championship next season and for the foreseeable future."

Eyssimont has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 57 games this season. The 28-year-old has 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 193 regular-season games for the Lightning, San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets since being selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round (No. 142) of the 2016 NHL Draft. He has a goal and an assist in eight playoff games.

The Kraken (26-32-4) are 11 points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

NHL.com independent correspondent Corey Long contributed to this report