Yanni Gourde is signed for 3 more years at 5.166m per. He is 31 y/o. That couldn't matter less. With his motor, he isn't breaking down before he is 34 y/o. We can't afford an expensive player. If we get an established player now, that will require a new contract soon (like Larkin), we can't afford that player anyway. From my POV, Gourde makes a ton more sense than Larkin. Larkin has 1 more year before UFA. If we get him and he has a great year for us, then we will lose him for nothing. What good will that have done?
I would give up a bounty to get him with some retention from Seattle. I would do Filip Chytil, Nils Lundkvist and a 1st and more -- and not even think twice about it. No Laf, Kakko or Schneider. It is not about how good Gourde is, it is about how he is the perfect fit for us since he would be cost controlled, and with some retention, he is a steal.
Why is he a perfect fit for us?
(a) Both Ziba and Strome have the same issues. Neither covers a ton of ice, neither has that motor that is a constant threat at center ice pushing Ds back.
(b) He is the perfect center for someone like Kakko. He will draw attention and push Ds back, when Kakko can get the puck from a center like that he is lethal against a D on their heels.
(c) This makes perfect sense for us because we can have three elite lines. Both Tampa and Pittsburgh only won when they had three elite lines. Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel was literary the best line for Pittsburgh at times and Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman was tremendous for Tampa. We can have an elite line built around Kreider and Ziba, we can have an elite line built around Panarin -- but then what? Goodrow-Gourde-Kakko would be an elite line. That line has potential to be our best line at times without doubt. It would be great defensively, it would be great on the forecheck, it would be great on the counter attack. We don't only kill two birds with one stone, we kill three. We get another top line. We compliment the two top lines we have perfectly. And lastly, we sort out the log-jam we have giving Laf and Kakko a proper development environment, by creating another "top" development position for Kakko next to Gourde, but on the 3rd line.
(d) He is cost controlled and cheap for the duration of the flat cap era.
This team is a true contender:
Kreider-Ziba-Laf
Panarin-Strome-Hunt
Goodrow-Gourde-Kakko
Reeves-Rooney-Gauthier/Blais
Lindgren-Fox
K'Andre-Trouba
Nemeth-Schneider
After this year, we still have to replace Strome. But I am not worried, think Panarin will come back in better form next year and he has pushed so many centers over the edge so far. It might take some swings and misses, but we should be able to find someone who he can do that weith again.
