Lightning's Gourde ready to make good on first 1-way NHL contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed forward Yanni Gourde to a two-year contract worth $2 million, general manager Steve Yzerman announced Monday.

This new deal is one-way in nature, meaning he'll be a permanent fixture in the Lightning lineup for at least the next two seasons after quite a journey to get to this point.

"It's really special," Gourde said of his new deal, per Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "Most people know my story, I've been to (the ECHL). At that point, it was pretty hard, and I wouldn't believe that I would ever get a one way like that when I was down in Kalamazoo (ECHL). But now this is happening. It feels amazing. I'm ready."

Gourde appeared in 20 games for Tampa Bay last season after joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2014, recording six goals and eight points. Five of those goals came in the final eight games of the season, as the Lightning made a failed push for a playoff spot.

He was sent back to the AHL at the end of the NHL season, and helped the Syracuse Crunch reach the Calder Cup finals, with nine goals and 27 points in 22 postseason games.