Humble Yanni Gourde refuses to let last year affect his approach this year

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
September 28, 2017

SUNRISE – Yanni Gourde takes nothing for granted.

Even with a week to go before opening night, Gourde knows he has work to do. Nothing has been handed to him when it comes to the final roster decision. Not even as he looks to have a strong case to open the season as Tampa Bay’s third-line center based on his play in training camp.

And certainly not even based on his strong showing last season when he earned a late-season callup and thrived, helping the Lightning make a strong push toward a playoff spot. Not even earning his first NHL one-way contract is enough to make Gourde comfortable in his position.

He knows what happed yesterday has no bearing on what he does today. Or tomorrow. Or next week.

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”I feel comfortable from what I accomplished last year, but this year is a completely new year,’’ Gourde said. “It starts the counter back at zero and you have to start all over again. So I don’t look too much in to what I did last year, I want to be focused on this year and what I can accomplish this year, where I want to be and what I can do to help this team win games.’’

Gourde proved to be a breath of fresh air last season when injuries started to decimate the Lightning lineup. Called up prior to the March 6 game against the New York Rangers, Gourde scored his first career goal two games later, notching a shorthanded goal in a come-from-behind victory against the Florida Panthers. On March 27 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Gourde score the overtime winner to complete another comeback victory, a game that started a stretch of three consecutive games with a goal for the 25-year-old former MVP of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Gourde also recorded his first career multi-goal game at Montreal on April 7 and finished the regular season with six goals in 20 games. Pretty solid contribution for a player who three years prior was playing in the East Coast Hockey League just looking for his chance to show he can play in the American Hockey League.

So being humble comes from experience as he was dropped from the San Jose organization midway through the 2013-14 season before being quickly signed by Lightning Assistant General Manager Julien BriseBois. Gourde knows nothing is giving, everything is earned and last year means nothing but something to put in a scrap book someday.

Don’t expect his confidence to get in the way of what is ahead of him.

”I base my confidence on where I was yesterday and where I was the day before, that’s where I get my confidence from,’’ he said. “It’s not from six months ago, it comes from the little things I was doing yesterday and the day before in games. Last year was really nice, I enjoyed every second of it but this year is a new year and I have to focus on this one.’’

it’s an attitude that he carries himself with every day. It’s noticeable in his preparation, whether it’s for practice or a preseason game. It shows on the ice, even if he’s appeared in just two preseason games entering Thursday’s game at Florida, notching a goal in the process.

”His style of play and the way he played last year, it’s just energy,’’ assistant coach Todd Richards said. “He’s a character kid, he gives you everything he has every shift and he tries to do the right things. Mistakes happen in games and that’s just how it goes, nobody is perfect, but he makes up for a lot of the mistakes that happen, whether it’s him or his teammates, just because he works extremely hard. He was given an opportunity last year because he earned it and he took full advantage of it. Now he’s in a position where he’s coming in to camp looking to earn a sport and looking to earn ice time.’’

Gourde has proven his humbleness over and over again.

Even after signing the two-year, $2 million deal over the summer, he didn’t have in mind any sort of big-ticket item to buy. He has his sights set on purchasing a home in the near future, which would be a meaningful moment for somebody who has lived out of a suitcase in apartments and hotels for the past five years.

Signing that first NHL contract, making his first NHL paycheck – which won’t arrive until October – was a major accomplishment for Gourde, but he wants more, he wants to accomplish more, he wants to show he has more to give.

He won’t even allow himself to think about the possibility of being in the opening night lineup on Oct. 6.

”My career is really focused on what I can accomplish today instead of what is going to happen in five days or ten days or two weeks from now,’’ Gourde said. “Tonight is a big game and it’s really important for me to seize the opportunity to prove myself in this league again. Every day there are guys who are pushing from below and you can’t take your spot for granted. That’s why every single time I’m on the ice I want to show that I belong here and I want to work as hard as I can to stay up here.’’

Humble to the core.

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