Michael Stuart: Playoff Player Grades: Yanni Gourde

The thing with "energy guys" is that they are a dime a dozen and they come cheap - league minimum (or close to it) contracts, or two-way contracts.

If you want a defensively-responsible "energy player" for tireless forechecking, physicality, and the like, then you can do it a lot cheaper than $5m a year with NTC protection. And you don't need to hand out term on those contracts either. I'll never be a fan of Gourde's contract.

Having said that, most "energy players" are not a threat to produce offense. As an opposing team, you let them jump over the boards, fly around the ice, weather their storm, and then throw your next scoring line out there. That Goodrow/Gourde/Coleman line can actually score a few goals, so it makes them more valuable than your typical energy or grinder line.

I really think Gourde's contract is not as bad as it looks at first, but it's still pretty heinous in this Covid Cap world. Shave two or three years off the term and lose the NTC and I'd be fine with it.

Whoever gave Gourde the "F" on his grade is likely suffering from butthurt. He's never going to light the league on fire, but his performance in the playoffs more than made up for his underwhelming numbers in the regular season. Reasonably, at worst, he's a C.

I also gave him a B+ .... why? His line was solid and critical to the Cup win. Nobody had an answer for them.

I'd give his contract a D-, but it's hard to knock him when he contributed solidly to a championship.

Michael Stuart: Playoff Player Grades: Yanni Gourde
- Michael Stuart

A good player to expose in the Ex-draft, and The Krack will take him.

A good player to expose in the Ex-draft, and The Krack will take him.

- HenryHockey

I'm not sure if we can expose him. He has a NTC. I am still a little unclear on how NTC/NMC works with the expansion draft.

Is it only NMC players that must be protected (unless they agree to waive) ??

Michael Stuart: Playoff Player Grades: Yanni Gourde
- Michael Stuart

I gave Gourde a B+ because he really stood out to me in the playoffs. He created energy and was a good $hit disturber mixing it up and throwing opponents off their games. Chipping in with a few goals. He's like an Esa Tikkanen/Kirk Maltby clone. Overpaid? Yes. Effective in his role? Yes. The Coleman/Gourde/Goodrow line was very effective in Tampa's Cup run.

I'm not sure if we can expose him. He has a NTC. I am still a little unclear on how NTC/NMC works with the expansion draft.

Is it only NMC players that must be protected (unless they agree to waive) ??
- GalacticStone

Yes, he needs an NMC to mandate protection.

B+ as well. Does a lot of good things.

B+ did what he supposed to do but that contract is stinky, but they won a cup.

Bolts best players were their best players. Best players Carried the team with scoring, like they should.

Next player up.