Detroit would be another team with the Yzerman connection I think he would waive for, Tampa probably would have to take back Helm or Ericsson though

I would take it. Ericsson's contract ends this year so no problem.

The question is, does JBB have the balls to admit he made a mistake with Gourde and trade him?

That the biggest question .. JBB was an unmitigated disaster in year 1 as GM .. Gourde $32M LT contract with NTC for a career AHL player with low ceiling .. did nothing at TDL when team starting showing issues in Jan 2019 .. Bruins almost won cup with Coyle and Johannsen deals at TDL ..check puck daddy for detailed analysis showing Tampa was average in 2H .. AND extended Cooper BEFORE playoffs ..

His Gourde screw up cost us JT Miler .. 14 point JT Miller at Vancouver who would be our leading scorer now!!!!!

Now with above fact .. he has been good since the "Columbus Circle@#$" .. return for Miller was solid .. Shatterkirk Maroon Point deal etc..

BUT to your point does he put on his big boy pants and tail between his legs and say I screwed up and ship Gourde out .. if not forget season .. too much culture rot and if Im Cirelli Joseph etc.. how would I feel?

It's not the same comparison but....a Leaf one year buyout of Marleau cost them a first rounder. Only way he is traded is if some time thinks he has 5.166m for almost six years. And that team has to be one that Gourde agrees to traded. The "new" team has all the leverage. They won't be giving anything of value but the question will be how much cap they can offload to Tampa.
Let's say it's Montreal. Alzner at his 4.16 cap hit for almost two years is the minimum. Or Maybe Gourde is traded for nothing with a 2m retention.
JBB isn't the only one to blame. Yzerman started the NTC trend in Tampa.

I really liked his rookie year, then scratched my head with the contract. I'd be for waiving him with the hope that someone picks him up. It opens a spot for someone like Volkov and sends a message. This is a very undisciplined team. Never going to win many games giving up 5 penalties every night. Trade what we must to get Kreider and send Witkowski to the AHL.

Lol JT Miller our leading scorer, no doubt it has nothing to do with his linemates being EP and Boeser, sure. He was never getting top line minutes here and for some reason was always disliked by gum chewer unf. Not sure where all the Gourde hate has come from, the contract wasn't amazing but it was fair. To be clear I also wanted to keep Miller, but with his usage here and the return the bolts got, can't say it was a bad trade. The ntc was likely a mistake, but it's not like he's the only Bolt with one. JBB has done a solid job as GM, sure maybe it turns out keeping Miller and paying Stralman while jettisoning Gourde, Coburn and Paquette would have been better, but too early to say that definitively.

Would y’all take him for Ritchie and a 2nd

In a hearbeat .. several other teams could use him for what he is .. issue is not a fit with Tampa. MONTREAL makes all kind of sense to me .. Detroit Rangers and Carolina also ..
Tampa should not expect much back due to bad contract but that OK