Jake Guentzel traded to the Carolina Hurricanes

Jake Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday for forward Michael Bunting, forward prospects Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen, the rights to forward Cruz Lucius, a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

Carolina also received defenseman Ty Smith in the trade.

The first-round selection will become a second-round selection in the 2024 draft if Carolina does not advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Pittsburgh, which will retain 25 percent of Guentzel’s salary, also won’t receive the fifth-round pick unless the Hurricanes win the Cup.

Guentzel has 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games this season but hasn’t played since Feb. 14 because of an upper-body injury. However, the 29-year-old forward is skating and is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve Sunday.

Guentzel is in the final season of a five-year, $30 million contract ($6 million average annual value) he signed with Pittsburgh on Dec. 27, 2018, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

“The decision to trade Jake Guentzel, with his contract set to expire this offseason, was one of the most difficult decisions that I have had to make in my time in management,” Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas said. “In my first season with the Penguins, it has become quite clear why Jake means so much to his teammates, all Penguins staff and the City of Pittsburgh. Jake’s competitiveness, tenacity and spirit, combined with his talent, have produced some of the greatest moments of this era of Penguins hockey. A born and bred Pittsburgh Penguin, Jake has become a pillar in the community and fan favorite for all the right reasons. We cannot thank Jake and his family enough for their contributions to the Penguins since he was drafted in 2013, and wish him our very best.”

Guentzel’s name had been brought up in trade rumors since February, when Dubas said he could be dealt in order to add youth to Pittsburgh’s roster, which is the oldest in the NHL (30.8).

“Obviously we didn’t do a good enough job handling a lot of that noise that’s going on around the team,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said following a 6-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. “Jake means an awful lot to these guys. When you win championships together, there’s a certain bond there that’s hard to put into words.”

Selected by the Penguins in the third round (No. 77) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Guentzel has 466 points (219 goals, 247 assists) in 503 regular-season games. He also has 58 points (34 goals, 24 assists) in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2017.

“He’s a great player, great teammate. A friend,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “I think he did everything he possibly could in his time here. Just a privilege to play with him for the course of that time. Great memories. It was just a privilege, like I said.”

Smith, who was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the first round (No. 17) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 51 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

The 23-year-old has 47 points (eight goals, 39 assists) in 123 NHL games.

The Hurricanes (37-19-6), who defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Thursday, are in second place in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the New York Rangers.

“Jake is an elite goal-scorer and playmaker who has produced at a high level for his entire NHL career,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. “Ty is a young, offensive-minded defenseman who will provide us with another reliable option on the blue line. We’re thrilled to bolster our lineup as we compete to bring the Stanley Cup back to Raleigh.”

On Friday, Carolina acquired forward Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 31-year-old, who has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 43 games this season, has one season remaining after this one on an eight-year, $62.4 million contract ($7.8 million average annual value) he signed with Washington on July 2, 2017.

Bunting has 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games this season, his first with the Hurricanes after signing a three-year, $13.5 million contract ($4.5 million AAV) on July 1.

Selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round (No. 117) of the 2014 NHL Draft, the 28-year-old forward has 162 points (70 goals, 92 assists) in 247 regular-season games with the Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Hurricanes. He also has five points (two goals, three assists) in 13 playoff games.

Ponomarev, who was selected by Carolina in the second round (No. 53) of the 2020 NHL Draft, has two points (one goal, one assist) in two NHL games this season. The 21-year-old also has 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 41 AHL games with Chicago and Tucson.