Insider Confirms Two-Time Stanley Cup Winner Will Waive No-Trade Clause for Move to Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in need of an upgrade at third line center and one NHL Insider has identified their ideal target as Stanley Cup winner Yanni Gourde.
Make no mistake about it, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be buyers at this year's trade deadline as they look to go on a deep playoff run for the first time in 2 decades this spring.
The Leafs made several key acquisitions this past summer that have paid dividends, including deals for Chris Tanev, who signed a 6-year pact with the Leafs on July 1st, and Anthony Stolarz, who signed a 2-year deal on the same date, among others.
Unfortunately, the one area that the Leafs did not address this past offseason was the 3rd line center position. According to NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun, however, their ideal candidate could be up for grabs in Seattle.
Yanni Gourde won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 before being taken by the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft in the summer of 2021.
Now 33 years of age, Gourde is in the final year of a 6-year contract that he signed with Tampa Bay back in 2018 and appears likely to be available at the trade deadline as a rental. Gourde is slated to become a UFA on July 1st.
According to LeBrun in a recent article for The Athletic, the Kraken have not engaged in any contract extension talks with Gourde, and after recently committing to veteran Jordan Eberle on a multi-year deal, the team could be looking to part ways with Gourde.
As for how the Maple Leafs fit into all of this, LeBrun has the Leafs pegged as a prime candidate to make a push to acquire Gourde from Seattle, given the brand of hockey he plays and the obvious fit between he and the Leafs. He also revealed that Gourde is open to waiving his no-trade clause to come to Toronto.
LeBrun did not speculate as to what the Leafs might have to give up to acquire Gourde from the Kraken, but with the Saint-Narcisse, Quebec native carrying a cap hit north of $5M, it's safe to say there would have to be significant salary retention -- perhaps even with a 3rd team getting involved to retain additional salary, for Gourde to land in Toronto.
Gourde has amassed just 15 points across 32 games in Seattle this season, while averaging 15:28 ATOI per game this season. He has also racked up 49 hits and 23 blocked shots, showing that he can get it done on either side of the puck.
Gourde could be a significant upgrade over rookie pivot Fraser Minten, who was recently demoted and sent back to the AHL by the Maple Leafs.
