Jake Guentzel Confirms He Wanted to Stay With the Penguins
The Carolina Hurricanes went out and bolstered their lineup with the surprise acquisition of Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals, but that wasn’t their biggest move. The Hurricanes pulled off a massive blockbuster trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2024 Trade Deadline, adding forward Jake Guentzel and defenceman Ty Smith for Michael Bunting, Vasily Ponomarev, Ville Koivunen, and two draft picks. The deal shocked the hockey world even after weeks of speculation that it might be coming, and the Hurricanes are now considered Stanley Cup favorites heading into the postseason. Unfortunately, Guentzel’s recent comments suggest this wasn’t what he…