The 2024 NHL trade deadline’s biggest name is officially off the board!
On Thursday, less than a day before the deadline’s end, the Pittsburgh Penguins traded forward Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. Rumors had been swirling around Guentzel for some time now amidst the Penguins’ subpar season, with many of the NHL’s top teams such as the Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks inquiring about the 29-year-old upcoming free agent.
The Hurricanes, however, ultimately won out, adding Guentzel and his standout offensive production to a team always in need of it come playoff time. The Penguins, on the other hand, don’t feel any closer to being a Stanley Cup contender as we continue through the twilight years of Sidney Crosby and company.
MORE: The top NHL players on the market ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
As the dust settles on this deal, let’s break down the details of the Guentzel trade and give out grades to both the Penguins and Hurricanes!
The details
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Here’s how this trade breaks down!
- Hurricanes get: F Jake Guentzel, D Ty Smith
- Penguins get: F Michael Bunting, F Ville Koivunen, F Vasili Ponomaryov, F Cruz Lucius, 2024 first-round pick (conditional), 2024 fifth-round pick, 25 percent retained of Guentzel’s contract
Here are the conditions on the picks the Hurricanes have dealt in the deal, according to Pierre LeBrun.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Penguins grade: D
Folks, Kyle Dubas really loves his guys. Dubas and Bunting are now reunited in Pittsburgh after the pair were together for two years in Toronto. At 29-years-old, Bunting probably has hit his peak as a 20-goal scorer, with the forward scoring 13 goals and 36 points in 60 games for the Hurricanes this year. Bunting will at least be able to join the Penguins’ lineup immediately, as Guentzel has been out with an injury since mid-February.
Otherwise, this deal looks really poor for the Penguins at first glance. The first-round pick isn’t guaranteed this year and will likely become a second unless the Hurricanes make the Stanley Cup Final. And the Penguins won’t get that fifth-round pick unless the Hurricanes WIN the Stanley Cup! Not getting a guaranteed first for their best trade chip is a disaster, especially with the Penguins having a very thin prospect cupboard.
Speaking of prospects, Dubas wasn’t able to get any of Carolina’s top prospects — Alexander Nikishin, Jackson Blake and Scott Morrow — in the deal either. Between the lack of a guaranteed first-round pick and the inability to snag a top-tier prospect, the Penguins come out the clear losers of this deal.
Carolina Hurricanes
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Hurricanes grade: A
While Guentzel might be injured, he’ll no doubt help the Hurricanes for their eventual playoff run. In 50 games this year for the Penguins, Guentzel scored 22 goals and 52 points, a statline that ended up being second on Pittsburgh’s roster despite the missed time. It’ll be interesting to see how Guentzel slots in with the Hurricanes’ defensive system — as he’s is not a defensive-minded player — but he fills an incredibly important role for Carolina ahead of the playoffs.
As for the rest of this deal, the Hurricanes would gladly part with a first and fifth-round pick in this year’s draft if it means getting to and winning the Stanley Cup Final. Not only that, the Hurricanes were able to retain their best prospects and didn’t completely empty the cupboard for a major upgrade. Guentzel may be an upcoming UFA, but rumors are circulating that talks about one are set to begin shortly.
All in all, some tidy work here from Don Waddell!
