Breaking NHL News: Tampa Bay Lightning Re-Sign Yanni Gourde To Lengthy Extension

Yanni Gourde signs a six-year extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning with a $2.33M AAV.

The Tampa Bay Lightning aren't letting veteran center Yanni Gourde get away this time. After spending his first six years with the Bolts, he was lost to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. But after re-acquiring him at the 2025 trade deadline, Tampa has now locked him up on a six-year extension, and at a very team-friendly number.

BREAKING: #GoBolts sign Yanni Gourde to six-year contract extension at $2.33M AAV
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) June 2, 2025

It's a $2.33 million AAV for Gourde, which is more than a 50% pay cut from his previous six-year deal. He gives up a chance to enter unrestricted free agency, but he's now signed and sealed until his age-39 season. The deal comes with $6M in base salary and $8M in signing bonus, and includes a full no-trade clause. The two-time Stanley Cup winner is back where he belongs.

The middle-six center plays a solid two-way game, kills penalties, and can provide a bit of offense.

Gourde will stay with the Lightning for good, on lengthy extension

In 21 games after arriving in Tampa, he had 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) with a +4 rating, while handing out 50 hits and averaging 17 minutes of ice time.

Gourde was a solid contributor to the Lightning's two Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021, but left him unprotected in the expansion draft that summer, and the Kraken nabbed him.

In 602 career NHL games, the 33-year-old has recorded 133 goals and 347 points, and 28 of his goals were game-winners. He has a +46 rating.