BLOCKBUSTER: Hurricanes To Acquire Jake Guentzel From Penguins

The Carolina Hurricanes are about to be the big winners of the trade deadline's biggest prize, Jake Guentzel. And word started spreading like wildfire with the news from the Canes that they were scratching forward Michael Bunting for tonight's game.

Here’s your deal:

To Carolina: Guentzel, Ty Smith

To Pittsburgh: Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, conditional 2024 1st, conditional 2024 5th.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 8, 2024

The Penguins have been holding a high-priced auction for their point-a-game winger in the past week, since GM Kyle Dubas decided it was time for his team to get younger. Guentzel, turning 30 this offseason, will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 campaign.

As noted by insider Pierre LeBrun, Bunting, who just arrived in Carolina this season on a 3-year free agent deal, will be part of the package headed back to Carolina along witha couple of young centers. Guentzel has yet to return from an injury that's kept him out for the last few weeks. He should be ready to return in days, however.

The New York Rangers were said to be hot on the trail of Guentzel as well, but they've come up short.

For the Hurricanes, who consider themselves a Cup contender, adding the Penguins' star forward is a huge boost to what's been a less-than-dynamic offense.

Hurricanes finally did it...They added a legit scorer.
Their top-six forwards have 107 goals, fewest of the current 16 playoff teams.

Adding Guentzel is a very good move for them.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) March 7, 2024