Jake Guentzel provided a hat-trick and newly-acquired Yanni Gourde assisted Oliver Bjorkstrand’s game-winning goal as the Lightning battled back from a 5-3 deficit to edge the Buffalo Sabres, 6-5, on Thursday evening.

The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde on Wednesday as part of a three-team swap.

And yes, Gourde, who has a modified no-trade, would like to join a contender. He won two Stanley Cups in Tampa as you’ll remember and I always saw him as a potential fit with Toronto by the way if they strike out on those bigger names that Dregs talked about at the top.

However, Tampa Bay acquired Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde from Seattle on Wednesday, which likely influenced the Lightning's decision to send Atkinson to the minors.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning answered the cross-state-rival and defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers' activity ahead of the NHL trade deadline with a big move of their own Wednesday to bolster their playoff chances,

The Lightning make a splash yet again, acquiring Yanni Gourde & Oliver Bjorkstrand from Seattle for two first round picks (2026, 2027) and Mikey Eyssimont. Tampa also gets a 2026 fifth round pick in the pre-deadline blockbuster.

Selected by Columbus in the third round (No. 89) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Bjorkstrand has 375 points (167 goals, 208 assists) in 606 regular-season games for the Kraken and Blue Jackets and 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 45 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Lightning forward Yanni Gourde rejoins Tampa Bay after they lost him to Seattle in the expansion draft four years ago. Now, the two-time Stanley Cup champ can't wait to skate where his career started.

The Tampa Bay Lightning organization believes that adding two elite forwards Yanni Gourde and Oliver Byorkstrand will be the push they need to make a deep playoff run.