Uncharted: Yanni Gourde

Welcome to UNCHARTED. Developed in partnership with Filson, this is a series of profiles showcasing the natural beauty and unique experiences found in the Pacific Northwest while getting to know more about our Kraken players. You can find previous installments HERE.

If you’ve spent any time around Kraken alternate captain, Yanni Gourde, one thing is clear: he gives his all – in all things. His passionate and determined play on ice has endeared him to fans and teammates alike; and so, on a drizzly winter day, we decided to explore something he loves to do off the ice: working with wood.

Gourde has a lot of experience with carpentry. He’s made tables, shelves, a swing and more for his family – whatever project sparks his interest he sets about figuring out.

“(Woodworking) brings me back to a little bit of my roots,” Gourde said. “Working in the summer for my uncle…it was just fun to be in the shop and the chemistry you build with your coworkers and the laughs you have with them. It's a lot of fun and it's similar to a locker room… it's always fun and woodworking has always been something that fascinates me.”

And so, we headed to Filson headquarters to meet up with local woodcarving artist, Bob King. King doesn’t just work with wood, he salvages scrap pieces and then turns them into art that reflects the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest…using a chainsaw.

This was going to be a lot of fun.

King walks us through the design he created based on Gourde’s recommendation – it incorporates both the Kraken “S” and anchor logos as well as Gourde’s number 37 (he’s always had that number by the way – it was given to him when he signed a try-out agreement with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks, and it’s stuck with him through 13 pro seasons and two Stanley Cup wins).

Once we have the lay of the land, the artist grabs a specialized chainsaw and gets to work. You could immediately feel the energy and excitement building within Gourde.

“I love (this),” Gourde said. “I'm so excited. I love the smell of wood. I love having dust on me like this. This is what I like and watching (King work). It makes me want to do a project or something similar. It looks like it is very hard. But it looks like it's doable if you have the right tools.”

Gourde walks around the wood as the imagery in it starts to come to life thanks to King’s skill. The Kraken forward paces with intention and curiosity. Gourde points out a knot in the slab of cherry and discusses the impact on the carving process but also the uniqueness it will bring visually.

Gourde and King compare notes on how to approach each part of the design (Gourde even wants specifics on the grade of sandpaper being used!). And ultimately, Gourde can’t help himself. True to who he is – someone who always wants to make things their best – Gourde grabs a piece of equipment, “here, let me help you,” as he clears away the chippings and dust created by King’s work.

As King wields the chainsaw, Gourde is intentional in sharing his observations with me. . He points out the techniques of each cut and explains what he thinks could work.

“First time I’ve seen a saw like that,” Gourde says with praise.

With the initial cuts made, now, non-chainsaw tools can be put in our hands. Gourde jumps at the opportunity. He takes on a pointed die grinder that will allow him to sand down the more intricate details of our piece.

Now Gourde is in it – exactly as he loves to be. With each small movement of the tool, he focuses on bringing out the detail of the design.

“This is a beauty, this tool is a beauty,” he says happily. “This guy is coming home with me.”

We use a variety of sanding tools to refine the design to what we want it to be – mixing textures and degrees of definition. King brings out a small blow torch to add shading, and while we are responsible for the larger areas, King takes on a small ax and impressively marks the layers of the Kraken logo using fire, patience, and skill. It can be a little intimidating to follow that, but King reminds us this is art, not science.

“I tell anybody that will listen when you begin a project like this, it's firewood, right,” King says. “You spent your time, you've tried something new and if you get done and you hate it, it's still firewood, right? But you've learned something, and maybe you try it again. You improve on the parts and the features that you didn't care for. You try another thing, and it gets better. It's a process. It’s a progression.”

Yanni nods with understanding. You can’t help but think about the work he’s put into not just woodworking but into his career – an undrafted player who worked his way to the NHL and two championships.

Is the connection too obvious, we ask?

“I'm trying to get better every day, and I'm passionate about what I do all the time, whatever it is,” Gourde says with a smile. “I guess people are noticing that I'm very passionate, and that's how I play.”

And his passion never stops. As we stand up our artwork to finish the edging, I take on the left side. Gourde takes on the right. As Gourde compliments our work as being better, we’re presented the rare chance to chirp one of the top players on the Kraken roster. “Is this a competition?” That lights a fire in the Seattle forward who chirps right back that now he’s in for the long haul until his side of the piece is done.

It’s an up-close glimpse into why people respect the motivation within Gourde, the intensity he has, but also how the underlying energy he brings is always fun.

Ultimately, we decide that our work is done. We’ve made a beautiful piece of art that – in another very characteristic move for Gourde and his family – is now earmarked for the One Roof Foundation so that it can be auctioned off to raise funds for programming tied to hockey access, youth homelessness, and environmental justice.

At the end of the day, we feel accomplished – and that’s also part of what drives Gourde to be who he is. It’s a feeling that rounds out some of why Gourde loves working with wood so much.

“You're so proud of your project at the end,” Gourde says. “You did it by yourself and you're just…you're so proud of the achievement and it's there for you. It's tangible.”