Yanni Gourde Returns But Kraken Rally Falls Short

Kraken forward Yanni Gourde did about all he could Tuesday night to forcibly conceal his joy at playing once again when describing his feelings in what was an otherwise somber postgame locker room.

The Kraken had just fallen, 4-3 to the visiting Minnesota Wild, on a night Gourde returned following a two-month injury absence, set up one goal, nearly scored another, and was generally wreaking havoc all around the opposition net. It remains to be seen whether that was the final time Gourde does it in the home team’s uniform at Climate Pledge Arena, given Friday’s looming noon PT trade deadline, but he certainly used the homestand finale to remind folks of what they’d missed.

“It was a lot of fun to be out there and play with the guys tonight,” Gourde said. “To enjoy playing hockey again. Being at the rink and the whole stuff of being an NHL player.”

Gourde remained stone-faced when addressing his return and the possibility of being dealt ahead of Friday’s deadline. He’s one of three pending unrestricted free agents – along with Brandon Tanev and Josh Mahura – the Kraken stand to lose for nothing following the season unless they get re-signed.

Still, there were times Gourde struggled postgame to outwardly suppress his happiness at being back. Being sidelined since last playing Jan. 2 and subsequently undergoing sports hernia surgery isn’t quite in the DNA of a player who thrives on constant energy.

From the first shift onward, Gourde was getting in opponents’ faces and doing all he could to get in their heads as well.

“Yeah, it’s been really difficult,” he admitted. “But I don’t think there’s anyone that likes to do that. To be honest, we’re all competitors. We all like to be out there and help our team. And yeah, it’s hard to watch.”

Gourde’s assist on Brandon Montour’s goal with 12 seconds to go in the middle period drew the Kraken back within one in a game they trailed 4-1 in at one point. Shane Wright had scored his team-leading seventh power play goal just minutes prior on a nice Oliver Bjorkstrand feed to the left circle, but the Kraken could get no closer against Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson and the Wild in the final 20 minutes.

The Wild looked to have notched a key insurance marker early in the final period, but the Kraken got it waved off by successfully challenging that a Wild player touched the puck with a high stick moments before the goal. Still, earlier Minnesota goals by Vinnie Hinostroza, Jared Spurgeon, Frederick Gaudreau, and Mats Zuccarello proved enough, with Adam Larsson scoring the other marker for the Kraken.

Gourde said afterwards he’s had conversations with the Kraken about a contract extension but isn’t allowing it to impact on-ice play.

“I’m focusing on what I can control,” he said. “I can control going out tomorrow, working hard. And yeah, that’s all I’ve got.”

The Kraken, a year ago, made extension offers to pending free agents Alex Wennberg and Jordan Eberle ahead of the trade deadline. Eberle accepted a two-year extension and stayed here to become team captain while Wennberg declined an offer and was dealt to the New York Rangers.

“Yeah,” Gourde replied when asked whether he’s had extension talks. “I mean, there’s been communication. But that’s all I’m going to say tonight.”

And so, Gourde left the arena Tuesday, ahead of expecting to board a team charter Wednesday for a three-city road trip carrying the Kraken through the deadline and weekend.

He began Tuesday’s game on the fourth line, which is where he’d been trending ahead of his injury due to the ascension of other centers on the Kraken roster. One of those centers, Wright, continued his hot hand of the past two months by scoring his 14^th goal of the season in this one.

The ascension of Wright, Matty Beniers and Chandler Stephenson as centers on the top three Kraken lines has limited Gourde’s role more than in prior seasons.

“Obviously, I’m trying to play confident,” said Wright, who didn’t hesitate in unleashing his power play shot the moment Bjorkstrand afforded him the chance. “I’m trying to play my game and just continue to improve. Continue to learn as much as I can.”

Taking shots when scoring chances arise is something coach Dan Bylsma has tried to help his players learn to do a little quicker than they have at times. Wright said he’s always been a player willing to take a shot and doing it in the NHL is no different.

“I think I’m just trying to shoot the puck,” Wright said. “I mean, when I get in a scoring area, I just want to get it on net and just kind of see a spot I’m shooting at.”

Wright has upped his game more than any player in the two months missed by Gourde, compiling 20 of his 37 points over that margin.

“You talk about fire-starters for players and his shot is becoming one of those,” Bylsma said, adding: “A big part of his game is getting his shot off.”

Bylsma said Wright’s power play proficiency is also related to his being able to get shots off from a variety of positions on the ice.

“He’s got a great catch-and-shoot,” Bylsma said. “He’s got a great release when the puck is on his stick, coming down the hill or on a flank. And he’s just finding more and more opportunities to shoot that puck. When you see him shoot like that, that’s a sign of confidence growing in his game.”

That Wright coincidentally plays the same center position as Gourde highlights how the team has solidified its forward depth up the middle of the ice. Still, Bylsma was happy to see Gourde back doing what he excels at.

“Just to have his energy and his passion was noticeable for us,” he said.

Wright, Stephenson and Beniers playing as they have has relegated Gourde more to fourth line duty than in prior seasons and he played Tuesday’s game on the bottom trio once again. Finding center depth has been a critical Kraken pursuit since inception and the emergence of Wright, Beniers and Stephenson ranks among this season’s top developments. With major junior center Berkly Catton, drafted 8^th overall last summer, again tearing up the Western Hockey League the team’s future at the position appears far more solidified.

Gourde's future should be clarified by the time the team returns home again next week. Until then, he’ll keep doing what’s worked for him in Seattle up to now.

“At the end of the day, when you go out there, you give it all you’ve got and you play to your identity,” Gourde said. “And that’s what I did. I just played to my strength and to my identity.”