Yanni Gourde signs long-term contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning

Yanni Gourde recently made the headlines when he signed a six-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning . With his last contract getting over, he would have become an unrestricted free agent from the 1st of July. However, he signed a deal with the Lightning that marked his first long-term contract. This comes after Gourde spent three and a half seasons playing with the Kraken .

Yanni Gourde signs a contract worth $13 million with the Lightning

YANNI GOURDE IS HERE TO STAY !!

TODAY - the @TBLightning signed Gourde to a 6 year contract worth an AAV of $2.33 million

March 6, 2025 - Gourde returned to Tampa to rejoin his first team

July 21, 2021 - Gourde was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion… pic.twitter.com/N4k1Dm6jvM

— Gabby Shirley (@Gabby_Shirley_) June 2, 2025

Yanni Gourde signed a six-year contract worth $13.98 million, with an average annual value of $2.33 million. He will be a part of the Tampa Bay Lightning till he reaches the age of 39. In the last season, Gourde had a total of 31 points with seven goals and 24 assists in a total of 57 games. Additionally, he has also won the Stanley Cup back in 2020 and 2021, when the Tampa Bay Lightning won consecutively.

With the Kraken, Gourde was considered a strong player in the bottom six, providing stability in defense and additional offense as required. However, he began suffering from injuries towards the end of his term. Back in January, he had undergone surgery for a sports hernia and had to miss two months of matches during the regular season. Therefore, Kraken wanted to avoid the uncertainty that came with signing him. Additionally, his previous contract ensured that his annual earnings were at $5.17 million, but the new deal comes in at less than half of his previous earnings.

In an earlier interview back in March 2025, Gourde had shared that he was excited to play with the Lightning. He shared, "You always let your mind wonder if it could be possible. But yeah, this is awesome. I’m super excited to join this team and win some games."

Also Read: Jon Cooper will remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning following the playoff disaster

When it comes to his personal life, Gourde tied the knot with Marie-Andree in a private ceremony back in 2015. The duo met in 2009 when he played junior hockey. They now share two daughters, Emma, born in 2018, and Demi Davis , born in 2022.