Insider Pierre LeBrun claims Stanley Cup champion would waive no-trade clause for Maple Leafs

For months now, it’s been reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs are eyeing to acquire center depth ahead of the trade deadline, most specifically for their third-line center spot.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the ideal option may be interested in joining the Leafs, despite holding a no-trade clause in his current contrat.

LeBrun believes Yanni Gourde of the Seattle Kraken could be on the move to Toronto as he explained in his predictions of where the NHL’s top trade targets might end up by the deadline. He strongly believes Gourde will wear the Leafs’ uniform by the March 7 deadline.

“It remains to be seen whether the Kraken will actually make Gourde available ahead of the deadline. You may remember a year ago at this time, Jordan Eberle’s name was bandied about quite a bit because he was a pending unrestricted free agent and the Kraken weren’t playoff-bound. But instead of moving him, the Kraken signed Eberle to a contract extension to remove him from the trade market. Seattle now needs to make a decision on Gourde, and as of writing this, there haven’t been any contract discussions,” LeBrun writes.

“If indeed Gourde is moved, my matchmaking crystal ball has him landing with Toronto because he fits the criteria of what the Leafs need as far as a third-line center upgrade. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the (Tampa Bay) Lightning and plays the kind of game that translates come playoff time. He’s got a modified no-trade, but my understanding is he would have no issue with a move to the Leafs. And he’s the kind of player general manager Brad Treliving appreciates — not shying away from the rough-and-tumble hockey played in playoffs.”

Gourde would not only bring the center depth the Maple Leafs needs, but would come with leadership and experience, especially as a Stanley Cup champion.

The only issue in Toronto would be how to accommodate Gourde’s $5,166,667 cap hit to the team at the trade deadline. The Kraken could retain some of his salary though it could cost extra for the Maple Leafs to make that work. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

Gourde has five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 32 games with the Kraken this season. As for his work during the postseason, the veteran forward has 20 goals and 22 assists in 83 playoff games split between the Lightning and Kraken.

This will be an interesting one to keep an eye on as we move closer to the March 7 deadline.