Why the Kraken moved on from Bjorkstrand, Gourde near trade deadline

The Seattle Kraken officially broke ground on the re-shaping of their roster and on-ice future, parting ways on Wednesday with a pair of veteran figures from what is now becoming past lore. 

Out the door is center Yanni Gourde and right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, along with a fifth-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In return, the Kraken are getting a considerable haul for the future, acquiring center Mikey Eyssimont, two first round picks each in the 2026 and 2027 NHL Drafts, and a second rounder this summer.

The Kraken also agreed to retain half of Gourde’s $5.16 million annual salary, which expires at the end of this season. The Detroit Red Wings reportedly brokered the deal as a bridge team, funneling Gourde from Seattle to Tampa Bay. 

"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,” said Kraken general manager Ron Francis in a statement. 

INSTANT ANALYSIS FROM 93.3 KJR-FM 

Why the trade was made: First, it’s obvious to observe the position the Kraken are in, which is “seller” status with the playoffs becoming out of reach for the third time in four seasons, and holding an aging roster that has largely retained its initial core over those four years. Players in their 30’s typically battle a decline in production, and the Kraken are realigning their roster for the future. 

It’s a clear sign the Kraken are thinking “younger,” and perhaps saving money on a big-name top line forward, an ingredient missing from the lineup since day one. 

Gourde, 33, an emotional heartbeat of the dressing room, was a core part of the team’s initial leadership as an alternate captain and enjoyed two largely productive seasons in the infancy of the franchise, pushing 21 goals through a groundbreaking but tumultuous expansion season, with the Kraken largely out of contention by Christmas. His 48-point year was duplicated the following season, when the fortunes took a sharp 180-degree turn in the team’s magical run through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

His playoff pedigree, evident by a pair of back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in Tampa Bay, was on full display with 13 points in 14 games. He scored the overtime winner at Dallas in game one of the second round, fresh off a storybook seven-game upset of the Avalanche, and pushing the Stars to seven games in the second round series loss. 

The ninth year forward, who’s on-ice role was mitigated to fourth line and penalty kill duties this season, fell to an 11-goal, and 33-point campaign last year before injuries ravaged his contract year, with 17 points in 36 games around sports hernia surgery. His swan song game was an assist on Tuesday night, in a 4-3 loss to Minnesota. 

Bjorkstrand, 29, is in the fourth year of a five-year contract, on pace to hit the 20-goal plateau for the fourth consecutive season, and sixth time in the last seven years. His signature game delivered a two-goal effort in a do-or-die game 7 win at Colorado, when the Kraken upset the Avalanche, 2-1 and became the first ever team in NHL history to debut in the postseason and eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champion in the opening round. 

He has 16 goals and 37 points in 61 games, third on the Kraken in goal scoring, and was originally brought in during a loaded offseason of three years ago, when the Kraken got him in a trade with the Blue Jackets for a pair of draft picks. 

What the Kraken get in return: Eyssimont is widely considered as a depth winger, a principal piece of Tampa Bay’s bottom two lines, who only dents the salary cap for a one-year deal worth $800,000. He brings a similar energy role to the lineup in the vein of Gourde’s on brand play. 

"Energy bee++ … can chip in (with) offense, is great at agitating,” one NHL scout said via text message to 93.3 KJR-FM. “Bottom six, can play either side. Highly coveted."

Eyssimont has five goals and ten points in 57 games with Tampa Bay this season, and will make Seattle his fourth NHL stop with 193 career games with the Lightning, Sharks, and Jets. 

The Kraken will retain half of Gourde’s salary but by the end of this season will have cleared over $10 million off the books from this trade, allowing more space to pursue available upgrades in the offseason. 

"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,” said Francis. 

The two draft picks headed to Seattle are conditional and considered to be top-10 draft protected, meaning the picks are valid only if the Lightning finish outside of the top 10 first round slots in each of the next two seasons. Otherwise, either pick inside of the top 10 slides back a year and the Kraken will gain an additional third round pick, each occurrence.