Confirmed Trade: [CAR/PIT] Jake Guentzel (25% retained), Ty Smith for Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, 2024 cond. 1st, 2024 cond. 5th

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

The game yesterday against Tampa was the first time I've seen Bunting with the pens. He didn't seem to be focused on being a tool, but rather an effective player and played that part well.

Depending on the prospects, that's a solid move by Dubas and by the Canes.

 

[wgknestrick]

I don't think most people realize how good Jakey has been for CAR. He has transformed Aho's top line into arguably the best line in the NHL.

Jake has been on the ice for 16 GF and only 4GA at even strength in 13 GP. That is a 80% GF which is ridiculous.

He's been on the ice for 25 GF (in all situations) in just 13 games.

 

[mattihp]

This trade will be a win -win

 

[spockBokk]

This trade will be a win -win

Sure seems that way in the short term. Would say it’s a win for the Pens regardless. Bunting fitting in well and they have 2 good top 9 prospects in Koivinen and Ponomarev (I don’t know much about Lucius) plus at least 1 more pick in the top 62 this year.

The Canes obviously got the best player. Can turn into a win for them if they win the cup and/or retain Guentzel (which personally, I don’t think will happen, re-upping Guentzel), but I’ll be elated with a cup win of course.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Sure seems that way in the short term. Would say it’s a win for the Pens regardless. Bunting fitting in well and they have 2 good top 9 prospects in Koivinen and Ponomarev (I don’t know much about Lucius) plus at least 1 more pick in the top 62 this year.

The Canes obviously got the best player. Can turn into a win for them if they win the cup and/or retain Guentzel (which personally, I don’t think will happen, re-upping Guentzel), but I’ll be elated with a cup win of course.

Short term I think its a slight win for Carolina, long term it favors the Pens. Canes got the better player for a playoff run. Pens got a good fit and some prospects for the near future. Cant see why either team ends up unhappy.

Well that is until the Pens knock out the Canes on a Bunting goal at least.

 

[canuckslover10]

I wonder how much Jake Guentzal gets in the Ufa market cause he'd fit so well in Vancouvers top 6.

 

[Unsustainable]

Sure seems that way in the short term. Would say it’s a win for the Pens regardless. Bunting fitting in well and they have 2 good top 9 prospects in Koivinen and Ponomarev (I don’t know much about Lucius) plus at least 1 more pick in the top 62 this year.

The Canes obviously got the best player. Can turn into a win for them if they win the cup and/or retain Guentzel (which personally, I don’t think will happen, re-upping Guentzel), but I’ll be elated with a cup win of course.

Pagnotta is saying they are very serious about re-signing Jake.

 

[spockBokk]

Pagnotta is saying they are very serious about re-signing Jake.

I bet they would like to extend him. I still highly doubt they end up actually accomplishing it. Really bad timing with all the other players on expiring deals. Guentzel owes the Canes nothing and I find it hard to believe he will not want to see what’s out there on 7/1. There are going to be teams that are guaranteed to offer him more than the Canes will.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I wonder how much Jake Guentzal gets in the Ufa market cause he'd fit so well in Vancouvers top 6.

Well that's just the thing, he'd fit so well in every team's top-6, that's the type of player he is.

 

[Lemieuxs]

I wonder how much Jake Guentzal gets in the Ufa market cause he'd fit so well in Vancouvers top 6.

Easily over 10M a most likely 8 years from the Canes or 7 from someone else.

 

[Extra Texture]

This trade has to be one of the greatest win/wins seen in recent history.

Jake is pulling up statistical trees in Raleigh. 21 points in 14 games is ridiculous, and gelling like he has with their top line will make them deadly in the postseason. If he contributes to a deep run or re-signs in Carolina, then this looks like a home run and one of the best TDL "fits" in living memory.

Meanwhile, Bunting "only" has 13 pts in 16 games, but people are making comparisons to Kunitz for good reason. Scoring dirty goals around the blue paint, gels with Malkin's line as a perfect third wheel (btw 71 has six goals in his last six games) and Bunting's greasy, grinding style of play is seemingly rubbing off on everyone. That winning goal against TBL wasn't just clutch for the Pens season, it was symbolic with Bunting/Malkin parked on Vasi's doorstep until they got the loose change and scored to pull out a gutsy, emotional win. He wont ever be as productive as Jake, but damn I love him already.

It's just shocking to see how it worked out. Canes got a star, who is elevating their top guns to another tier of production. They landed the best TDL asset, without giving up one of their top tier blue chippers. Waddell picked the perfect time to go for a big fish. Pens got a miscast "lunchpail" player who has helped turn their season around and give new life to their stars. In a very bad spot, Dubas pulled out a crackerjack move.

 

[SEALBound]

The best win-win-win ever would be:

Carolina makes it to the SCF and the Pens get the 1st.
Penguins trade Smith and resign Guentzel.

Jake-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell

Is a minor change to the Penguins top 6 but man, would it be lethal.

 

[Lemieuxs]

The best win-win-win ever would be:

Carolina makes it to the SCF and the Pens get the 1st.
Penguins trade Smith and resign Guentzel.

Jake-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell

Is a minor change to the Penguins top 6 but man, would it be lethal.

Could definitely happen. The Pens have the cap space to re-sign him. Carolina.... not so much.

 

[Chan790]

Could definitely happen. The Pens have the cap space to re-sign him. Carolina.... not so much.

I suspect he's the priority for the Canes, just before Jarvis, then Necas who may be traded.

Chatty will not be overwhelming to re-sign and both Pesce and Skjei received offers they rejected...which probably means they're gone as the Canes don't seem prone to negotiate there. I don't see the Canes having a cap space issue if they want Guentzel back. It just means hard choices elsewhere.

Worst case, we have to move KK to make space. If its dire, we could give Kochetkov the starting job, move Freddie out and bring in a late-career veteran chasing a Cup for 1B/2 duties.

 

[Unsustainable]

Could definitely happen. The Pens have the cap space to re-sign him. Carolina.... not so much.

Weve got 30.9m, if we trade KK, it's ~35m.

We can bridge Jarvis for a year when Burns and Orlov contracts come off and have another ~14m.

I think 9m aav for 8 years might be the number, but under 10m and it still works for us to keep him.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I suspect he's the priority for the Canes, just before Jarvis, then Necas who may be traded.

Chatty will not be overwhelming to re-sign and both Pesce and Skjei received offers they rejected...which probably means they're gone as the Canes don't seem prone to negotiate there. I don't see the Canes having a cap space issue if they want Guentzel back. It just means hard choices elsewhere.

Worst case, we have to move KK to make space. If its dire, we could give Kochetkov the starting job, move Freddie out and bring in a late-career veteran chasing a Cup for 1B/2 duties.

To me, the Canes are not in a desperate need to sign any of our UFAs. It's more important that said contracts work in our cap structure than anything else. It's important to note that their general tendency is that they like to build rosters that don't heavily rely on ELC players panning out. It's debatable if having someone like Guentzel there long-term jives with that sort of tendency.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The best win-win-win ever would be:

Carolina makes it to WINS the SCF and the Pens get the 1st.
Penguins trade Smith and resign Guentzel.

Jake-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell

Is a minor change to the Penguins top 6 but man, would it be lethal.

Fixed it for you.

 

[SEALBound]

Fixed it for you.

If you make it to the SCF, I will probably be rooting for you.

That was an underemphasized conditional part of the deal. If the very small fine print, it said if the Penguins do not make the playoffs, you automatically receive me as a bandwagon fan.

 

[chethejet]

Pens are not gong pay Guentzel 9 million for say 7 years. that plan is to run the core one more year and trim around the hedges. I prefer move Smith for a second at the draft and have 2 or 3 number 2's. Possibly a late number 1 and 2 two's, DOC is coming on and Bunting is a sold number 2. Pens need a banger LW third line and see who emerges on the 4th line.
DOC Sid Rakell
Bunting Geno Rust
? Eller Puustinen
Gruden Poulin Acciari

Graves Letang
Petts Karlsson
Ludvig St. Ivany

 

[SEALBound]

I suspect he's the priority for the Canes, just before Jarvis, then Necas who may be traded.

Chatty will not be overwhelming to re-sign and both Pesce and Skjei received offers they rejected...which probably means they're gone as the Canes don't seem prone to negotiate there. I don't see the Canes having a cap space issue if they want Guentzel back. It just means hard choices elsewhere.

Worst case, we have to move KK to make space. If its dire, we could give Kochetkov the starting job, move Freddie out and bring in a late-career veteran chasing a Cup for 1B/2 duties.

That would make sense. If they trade Necas, they have Blake and a couple other youngins to come in and take the spot.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Pens are not gong pay Guentzel 9 million for say 7 years. that plan is to run the core one more year and trim around the hedges. I prefer move Smith for a second at the draft and have 2 or 3 number 2's. Possibly a late number 1 and 2 two's, DOC is coming on and Bunting is a sold number 2. Pens need a banger LW third line and see who emerges on the 4th line.
DOC Sid Rakell
Bunting Geno Rust
? Eller Puustinen
Gruden Poulin Acciari

Graves Letang
Petts Karlsson
Ludvig St. Ivany

Need an upgrade over Graves on the first pairing. Graves - St Ivany should be the third pair. I'd love to do that, sign Jake and let DOC be that 3LW. And the cap space is there.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

The best win-win-win ever would be:

Carolina makes it to the SCF and the Pens get the 1st.
Penguins trade Smith and resign Guentzel.

Jake-Sid-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell

Is a minor change to the Penguins top 6 but man, would it be lethal.

Jake going back to the Pens makes zero sense and would be a lose lose for both of them.

 

[Rudy Russo]

Fixed it for you.

LOL- And the penguins get a fifth round pick now from the Canes! Lookout.

 

[Rudy Russo]

Need an upgrade over Graves on the first pairing. Graves - St Ivany should be the third pair. I'd love to do that, sign Jake and let DOC be that 3LW. And the cap space is there.

POJ has played very well the past month. I'd love to see Graves get shipped out for a forward, but that would be taking on another bad contact. Ludvig- St. Ivany should be the third pairing next season.
POJ- Letang
Pettersson- Karlsson
Ludvig-St. Ivany
Shea

 

[Darren McCord]

Jake going back to the Pens makes zero sense and would be a lose lose for both of them.

meh sometimes players just want to go where they want to go.

Why are on earth do Gaudreau pick columbus? Pens are just whatever at this point, so I could easily seeing them bringing him back if he wanted.