Once again, the Tampa Bay Lightning pushed whatever chips they had to the center of the table and made a move to improve their team. The price was a costly one, but Julien BriseBois acquired two players that he hopes can help the Lightning today and tomorrow. If Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand are the final pieces to the puzzle, then a couple of first round picks won’t mean a thing when the banner goes up before next season. If not, well, it’ll be another long summer of what could have been.
Mr. BriseBois spoke to the press following the deal, and the central theme to the discussion was that the two players make the team better today, not only with the talent that they’ll bring to the Lightning, but also that it “pushes players down in the line-up”. No more, “hey maybe Zemgus Girgensons can be a third-line center” or “Mitchell Chaffee could look good on the second line”.
Gourde and Bjorkstrand should help the Lightning’s 5v5 play offensively and defensively, but the acquisition is not without some questions. Mainly, Gourde’s health. He is coming off of hernia surgery and isn’t a spring chicken any more. Core injuries can be difficult, especially for players who play a physical game like Gourde.
Surrendering the 2026 first-round pick is tough, considering the draft is expected to be much deeper than the one this summer. It’s the price we pay for having an aggressive general manager, and personally, we’d rather have a GM that fires both barrels when the Lightning have a chance at a playoff run, than one that stands at the podium at 3:05 PM on deadline day hemming and hawing about the “deals just not being there”.
It does seem that the Lightning are done as they have just over $800,000 in cap space, an asset collection barer than a college kid’s fridge. Any deal at this point would require a player to leave the roster. We wouldn’t count Mr. BriseBois out, but the pieces required just might not be there.
Some reactions from outside of the Tampa media bubble:
Kraken Trade Bjorkstrand, Gourde to Lightning [Davy Jones’ Locker Room]
The reaction from our friends over at DJLR talk about the deal from their end. Getting something for a pending UFA was nice, as was freeing up the $5.4 million cap space from Bjorkstrand’s deal. It also gives the Kraken roster space for some of their prospects.
Trade Grades: Lightning go all in [The Athletic]
Shayna Goldman gives them an A+ while Dom Luszczyszyn gives them an A. Both acknowledge the high price the Lightning paid, but compliment the players acquired as fitting the needs of the Lightning.
“The cost was not cheap, but it’s hard not to love what Tampa Bay did here. Flags fly forever and the Lightning moved the needle in a major way to give themselves a great shot to fly that flag one more time with this core.”
NHL Trade Grades: Kraken and Lightning [Bleacher Report]
Adam Herman give the Lightning a B+ (and the Kraken an A).
“Gourde will get more attention in this deal because of his connection to Tampa Bay, but Bjorkstrand is the best player in this deal. He’s a high-end second-line right winger whose versatile game will provide a nice balance behind Nikita Kucherov’s electric skill. The prospect of Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli with this third component on a play-driving line should terrify other Eastern Conference teams.”
Grading every trade this deadline season [Elite Prospects]
Bolts also get a B from Ryan Lambert.
“They can put both these guys to good use, and all of a sudden that forward group is looking pretty stacked. They weren’t using those picks anyway, really.”
Lightning reunite with Gourde, add Bjorkstrand [ESPN]
Lightning get an A- from The World Wide Leaders.
“That history — along with the fact Gourde is a pending unrestricted free agent — is what made him so coveted among all contenders entering the deadline. That’s why Tampa Bay paid the price it paid.
Bjorkstrand doesn’t have Gourde’s playoff history. But what he does provide is another top-six option for Tampa Bay. If Jon Cooper deploys him on the second line with Anthony Cirelli at center and Brandon Hagel at left wing, that will be a major problem for opponents.”
