The Seattle Kraken have a notable character in Brandon Tanev. The forward makes silly faces on media day, looking like he's been possessed by the ghost of Dave Semenko. While Vegas Golden Knights fans would love to acquire Tanev for his iconic facial expressions, he's not the target for Kelly McCrimmon and company.
Instead, the Golden Knights are fixated on acquiring center Yanni Gourde, according to David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period. They seek a player who can kill penalties and boost their 20th-ranked penalty kill (78.2% entering Friday). While the NHL's best team (59 points) doesn't appear to have any glaring weaknesses aside from the penalty kill, Gourde would help the team.
The Canadian center has a cap hit of $5,166,667 and will be an unrestricted free agent by the end of this season. Retaining salary will be a must if McCrimmon and company are looking to acquire his services (unless Mark Stone goes on LTIR again). He also has a modified no-trade clause consisting of 23 teams.
Therefore, getting his services will be trickier than anticipated. This season, the 33-year-old has six goals and 10 assists with the Kraken. He would add scoring depth to the Golden Knights, giving them more power at the forward position. But there's more to his game than simply adding forward depth. Is he a good fit overall? Will he make the Vegas Golden Knights stronger on the penalty kill?
How Yanni Gourde helps the Vegas Golden Knights (and doesn't)
Yanni Gourde is a good forechecker who's also a workhorse. Pairing him on a line with Keegan Kolesar will result in a pair that consistently puts in great shifts, creating turnovers and bringing efficient hockey to the forefront. He could also be a good replacement for Holtz, taking over for him on the wing.
There's also his aforementioned penalty kill skills, where he's flying around the ice. That's part of his work ethic, which helps him make up for his lack of size (5'9", 174 lbs.). He isn't afraid to block shots and hit people, making him an underrated fit in Bruce Cassidy's scheme.
However, Kelly McCrimmon hasn't been the most keen on acquiring rentals. Sure, there have been outliers such as Teddy Blueger and Anthony Mantha. However, both players weren't the most productive. Blueger served a niche role with the Golden Knights on the penalty kill, while Mantha was... not a good fit.
When Noah Hanifin was acquired, he was given an eight-year, $58.8 million extension a month later. Currently, the goal is to capitalize on the contention window and get younger players who fit in that window. Therefore, he might pass on Gourde unless he can give the 33-year-old an extension.
Other problems with Yanni Gourde
Speaking of 33 years old, that age could be a hang-up with acquiring Gourde and extending him. While he is a workhorse, his skills will deteriorate quickly given his size. Unless it's a three-year deal, it won't be a logical move to bring him in for the long term.
There are also younger, more viable options. Alex Tuch is 28 years old and has a smaller cap hit ($4.75 million). He's also an unrestricted free agent in 2026, giving the Vegas Golden Knights another year of control. On top of that, Tuch is much bigger, standing at 6'4" and weighing 215 lbs. Options like him will look much better in the lineup, providing the Golden Knights with stronger options in the middle six.
Even Brandon Tanev would be a better option from a size and position standpoint. The Seattle Kraken could give Tanev to the Golden Knights and have him replace Alexander Holtz. Tanev would also be an effective penalty killer who gets in on the forecheck.
Will the Golden Knights pull the trigger? It's possible. Never discount McCrimmon at the trade deadline, especially after what happened last year. Acquiring and extending Noah Hanifin and trading for Tomas Hertl were two moves nobody saw coming. However, some obstacles could turn the deal off. Still, watch McCrimmon as he explores his options for the next Stanley Cup run. He might turn into Barry Zito and throw an unexpected curveball.