The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they’ve traded Jake Guentzel’s rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning, in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Guentzel was acquired by the Hurricanes at the deadline, and was a great fit with the team in his limited time. The winger found chemistry alongside Sebastian Aho, and posted eight goals and 25 points in 17 games. Guentzel is set to become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow, if he doesn’t sign with the Lightning before then.
Considering how important Guentzel was to the team’s lineup, and how close the Hurricanes seemed to being able to re-sign him, this is a huge blow for Carolina. The organization has been very hesitant about re-signing UFAs to big-money deals in the past, but this was one where they should’ve done what it would take to bring back the forward.
The Hurricanes have shown in the past they can find creative replacements, but trying to find alternatives to Guentzel’s high-end production in free agency tomorrow is going to be a massive challenge. With Guentzel seemingly very willing to re-sign in Carolina, but the team just not getting a deal done early enough, it’s a frustrating outcome for the Hurricanes. Losing Guentzel could prove to be a decision that really haunts the team in the coming years.
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Meanwhile, the Hurricanes also selected 10 players in the NHL Draft yesterday.
The team’s first pick in the draft came in the second round, after the team traded their 27th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks, in exchange for picks No. 34 and 50. The Hurricanes then used the picks to select right-shot defenseman Dominik Badinka, out of the SHL, followed by forward Nikita Artamonov, who posted 23 points in 54 KHL games as just an 18-year-old.
The Hurricanes’ two other trades came with moving back once again from the 60th overall pick to get picks No. 69 and 133, then also sending the the 92nd overall pick to the Blackhawks, in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick.
With their eight remaining selections in rounds 3-7 following the selections of Badinka and Artamonov in the second round, Carolina selected: Noel Fransen (69th OA), Alexander Siryatsky (124th OA), Oskar Vuollet (133 OA), Justin Poirier (156 OA), Timur Kol (168 OA), Roman Shokhrin (184 OA), Fyodor Avramov (188 OA), and Fyodor Avramov (220 OA).
OTHER OFFSEASON ARTICLES
- Is trading Martin Necas the right move for the Hurricanes?
- Hurricanes re-sign Jalen Chatfield
- Not re-signing Jake Guentzel would be major blow for Hurricanes
- Is parting ways with Brady Skjei the right move for the Hurricanes?
- Canes likely to lose two of their longest-tenured players in free agency
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • 
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