TAMPA, Fla. — Yanni Gourde never really wanted to leave the Tampa Bay Lightning after helping them win the Stanley Cup. Now he might be able to finish out his time in the NHL with them.

Gourde signed a six-year deal Monday worth just under $14 million, keeping him under contract through the 2030-31 season at a salary cap hit of $2.33 million.

"I wanted to stay in Tampa for a long time," Gourde said on a video call with reporters. "That was the biggest thing for me was getting some term and be able to stay and play in Tampa for the remaining years of my career. That was the biggest part. I'm so excited that we could make this happen."

Gourde was a big part of Tampa Bay winning back-to-back titles in 2020 and '21. Seattle took Gourde in the expansion draft that summer coming off the secon

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