The Seattle Kraken entered the season hoping to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025. And to be fair, Seattle isn't exactly out of the race. The Kraken enter play on Thursday nine points back of the Vancouver Canucks for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. It's enough to give them some hope. But it's not enough to keep pending free agents like Yanni Gourde out of trade rumors.
Gourde is a well-respected veteran player in the NHL. His best days are certainly behind him at this point. However, he is still a very effective player. Gourde can kill penalties, throw the body, and win faceoffs while occupying a bottom-six role in the lineup. As a pending free agent, he offers little long-term risk to any interested team.
What's more important is his experience. The veteran Kraken forward is a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He won both Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 before joining Seattle in the Expansion Draft.
The ability he brings to the ice certainly makes him a valuable player. His experience adds to his value and makes him a legitimate trade candidate. The Kraken may not receive a blockbuster return in any trade. But he should still have a market. With this in mind, here are two early landing spots for Yanni Gourde ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
Kraken's Yanni Gourde reportedly welcomes Maple Leafs trade
Yanni Gourde has some level of control over his future. The Kraken forward has a modified no-trade clause. This allows him to veto a trade to a select number of teams. In Gourde's case, he has a 23-team no-trade clause, according to PuckPedia.
This means that, more likely than not, Seattle is going to need Gourde's permission in any trade. One team that could use him is the Toronto Maple Leafs. And, according to recent reports, he would welcome a move to Toronto.
The Maple Leafs currently deploy Max Domi as the third-line center. Domi had a fine first season in Toronto, scoring nine goals and 47 points in 80 games. However, things have not gone as well during Domi's second season with the team. He has three goals and 14 points in 34 games. This places him on a seven-goal, 33-point pace across a full 82 games.
Gourde is not a major offensive upgrade over Domi. However, the Kraken forward is more of an overall upgrade. Gourde is better defensively and plays a physical game that fits better on the third line. Domi could potentially benefit from a move to the wing in the wake of this move.
Gourde would bring needed experience to a Maple Leafs team that has yet to go on a deep playoff run. He may not move the needle for the team's Stanley Cup ambition. But he could play a vital role in getting them deep in the postseason.
The Devils are a fit for Yanni Gourde
The New Jersey Devils are a top team in the NHL again after a disappointing 2023-24. New Jersey could put in a legitimate challenge for the Stanley Cup this coming spring, in fact. The Devils are looking to add depth to their roster before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. This could lead them to the Kraken and Yanni Gourde.
The Devils could certainly stand to add to their bottom-six. Shoring that up could make the team an even more formidable unit. Gourde certainly fits the bill. He could slot in as the third-line center, kill penalties, and take important faceoffs.
Gourde's experience could also prove valuable to the Devils. A few Devils skaters, such as Ondrej Palat and Paul Cotter, have won the Cup before. However, the team is largely inexperienced when it comes to deep playoff runs. Having a player with Gourde's background in the locker room for the younger players to lean on would certainly be beneficial.
The Devils are looking to win their first Stanley Cup since 2003. Gourde may not be the final piece to a championship-winning puzzle. In any event, he could be an important piece for New Jersey should they go on to win it all.
