Canucks, and Panthers miss out on Jake Guentzel as forward reportedly gets traded to Hurricanes

Jake Guentzel reportedly traded to Hurricanes; Michael Bunting to be part of the trade deal.

Canucks, and Panthers miss out on Jake Guentzel as forward reportedly gets traded to Hurricanes

Jake Guentzel [Image Credit: Imago]

Pittsburgh Penguins star player Jake Guentzel reportedly gets traded to Carolina Hurricanes in a blockbuster deal with winger Michael Bunting in exchange. As per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Bunting has been scratched from the Canes lineup for the game against the Montreal Canadiens. 

Guentzel is set to move on after playing eight seasons with the Penguins since his 2013 NHL Draft. He would’ve landed in the free agent zone following his 5-year $30 million contract end with the team. He was enjoying a cap hit of $6 million and is expected to sign a blockbuster deal with the Hurricanes.

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Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas wishes to rebuild the team centered around the veterans of the franchise. Trading Guentzel was part of the process, and as one of the top forwards in the league, he attracted quite a lot of competitors in the trade market.

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Among the interested teams in the Guentzel trade were – Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, and Calgary Flames. Among these teams, Canucks and Rangers were top contenders, with Panthers on the side.

As per NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Panthers and Canucks has a strong desire to acquire forward but “don’t have goods to pull it off.” On the other hand, the Knights could’ve acquired Guentzel had they put defenseman Alec Martinez on LTIR. 

Many believed Canucks would pull up, as Jim Rutherford, Penguins former GM had a strong connection with Guentzel. But it seems that the Hurricanes have emerged as the winners of the blockbuster forward’s trade deal.

As per the latest reports, the Penguins traded Guentzel and Ty Smith to the Hurricanes in exchange for Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasili Ponomarev, and Cruz Lucius, Hurricanes’ 1st-round and 5th-round pick in 2024. However, if the Canes fail to win the Stanley Cup, the Pens will get the Flyers 2nd round pick in 2024 instead of Canes’ 1st-round pick.

Jake Guentzel ready for 2024 Stanley Cup run with Hurricanes while Penguins hang onto their last rope

Unlike the Pittsburgh Penguins who are headed into the Stanley Cup race with the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, Hurricanes confidently rank 4th in the Eastern Conference and 2nd in the Metropolitan Division. As teams get into the final trade deadline race, Jake Guentzel going to Canes will give him an opportunity to run for the Cup.

Jake Guentzel [Image Credit: NHLPA]
Jake Guentzel [Image Credit: NHLPA]

The other teams trailing the Canes in the Cup race are the Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and the Boston Bruins. Kyle Dubas wishes the same for the Penguins, to have their run at Cup contention within Sidney Crosby era. The team is rebuilding and hopes to take a final shot before Crosby’s contract ends with the franchise.

Crosby spoke about the Guentzel trade, stating he doesn’t know what message they sent to the forward following the trade. “That’s probably a better question for them,” he stated. Regardless, he expressed he’ll miss skating out with Guentzel and called playing with him a “privilege” whom he’ll miss.

Guentzel will be available to boost the Hurricanes in their late-season push for the Cup race given his 22 goals, 30 assists, and 52 points in 50 games in the 2023-24 season. He has acquired 219 goals, with 247 assists, and 466 points in 503 games played for the Penguins so far.

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