Lightning lose key player in expansion draft
July 22, 2021 - Yanni Gourde, an energetic Tampa Bay Lightning forward who’s scored some of the most memorable postseason goals for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, is now a member of the Seattle Kraken. The NHL’s newest expansion team selected Gourde in Wednesday’s expansion draft, breaking up the Bolts’ dynamic third line, which also included wingers Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman. Seattle, the NHL’s 32nd franchise, was allowed to choose one unprotected player from every team except the Vegas Golden Knights, which began operations in 2017. Florida Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger is also headed to Seattle. Each franchise, apart from Vegas, was allowed to protect eight skaters plus a goaltender. The Bolts chose to protect defensemen Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak; forwards Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli; and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.