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After Tampa Bay Lightning forwards combined for just one goal at 5-on-5 play during a four-game road trip in which the Bolts dropped three of the four games, the Lightning coaching staff decided to switch up the lines in an attempt to rejuvenate the stagnating offense.
One player who saw his role change as a result was Yanni Gourde, who went from second line right wing to third line center.
Some might look at Gourde's switch as a demotion.
But Gourde sees the change as an opportunity to play a position more befitting his skill set.

"I think it uses more of my speed when I'm at center," Gourde said. "I find myself standing still when I was a winger and I think I'm better off when I'm skating. With that being said, I adjust my game when I'm a winger. I find ways to make it work, obviously. Wherever they want to put me, I'll be ready and I'll be up to the challenge."

In the three games since the Lightning coaching staff revamped the lines, Gourde has scored two goals and added an assist. He tallied just the third multi-goal game of his career after netting the game-winner December 5 versus the New York Islanders on a power play and adding a second goal just 1:34 later.
Gourde's increased production underscores the effect the line changes have had on the Lightning offense. The Bolts have scored five or more goals in three-consecutive games since the switch, just the seventh time in franchise history they've gone three games with five-plus goals according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"I think we weren't doing very well on that road trip, and I think by changing the lines, it clicked on a couple lines and then a couple games later, it clicked on other lines," Gourde said. "Now every line is going. I think it was a necessary thing. I think we weren't good enough and we needed more energy. I think the lines how they are right now, it brings a lot of energy and depth to the whole lineup and it's fun to watch all four lines going pretty good right now."
Gourde's willingness to move down to a third line role and ability to connect with new linemates Alex Killorn and Cory Conacher has made the revamped lines work. When Gourde was called up to the Lightning last season, the coaching staff wasn't sure what kind of impact he would have. But he ended up scoring six goals and adding two assists in 20 games and being an integral part of the Bolts' late-season push for a playoff spot.
After the Lightning just missed out on the postseason, Gourde was sent back down to AHL Syracuse where he helped the Crunch reach the Calder Cup Finals. Often, he was the best player on the ice. He led the AHL for plus/minus (+15) in the postseason and ranked second for scoring (9-18-27).
Gourde re-signed a two-year contract with Tampa Bay during the offseason. He's been a mainstay in the Lightning lineup this season and proven himself capable of holding a top six forward role despite his current status as the team's No. 3 center.
"Did we think he'd have the impact when we brought him up? No, we didn't," Lightning associate coach Rick Bowness said when asked if he's surprised how valuable Gourde has been to the team this season. "He's an energy guy. He plays hard. He's a pain in the butt to play against, and he just doesn't go away. It's his work ethic and he's a competitive little guy…He came up last year, lot of energy. A lot of guys do that. They finish the season strong. Can they do it again? Well, he's doing it again. And good for him. But he only plays one way and that's all out. He's energy and he's a little bug out there all over people and he's just a hard guy to play against."
Gourde has proven invaluable in his ability to slot anywhere.
Need him at wing?
No problem
Need him to move to center?
He can do that too.
Looking to inject some energy on the power play?
Gourde has been a regular on the Lightning's second power-play unit, averaging 2:01 power-play time on ice a game.
Fancy a disruptor on the penalty kill?
There might be none better than Gourde. His ability to play the top of the penalty kill and hound and harass opposing puck handlers into turnovers and mistakes might just be his greatest value to the Bolts. He ranks fourth among Lightning forwards for average penalty kill time on ice (1:30).
Gourde's success at center the last three games after spending the previous 24 at wing proves no matter what situation you put him in, the 25-year-old (soon to be 26 on Dec. 15) forward can be effective.
"He's probably playing a little more 200 feet of the rink when he's playing in the middle but he's always working so usually he's on it in the defensive zone, he's on it on the forecheck, he can get up and down, he's quick," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. "He played a lot of center at the end of last year, so we knew he could play the position. Now that he's gone back here for a little bit, he's done really well."