I don't think he wanted to re-sign here. Dubas would have done a horrible deal, if JG wanted it. He sucks at negotiating deals AND thinks we're contenders still. JG didn't wanna stay.
Instead Dubas had to panic trade him for anything.
IDK if Doobie had been willing to retain on Jake (why not?) if there would have been less panic, more suitors, and therefore a chance at a better deal than the one which was actually made.
But that's almost certainly a moot point because:
1. Doobie desperately wanted to get SOME roster player back in the deal and not just prospects (even if they had been good prospects, instead of the Bag of 'Meh' we got from the Canes) because he wanted to -- or was told to -- make it look like the Pens were not giving up on the season entirely by dumping Guentzel, and thus avoiding the outbreak of empty seats @ PPG.
2. Not only that, but given the chance to get the disappointing Bunting -- his old butt buddy from the Leafs -- he could hardly pass that up. And Carolina gladly jumped at the chance to jettison him.
Yeah, Bunting has looked OK so far regarding his offensive contributions (but is defensively atrocious, as the Canes well knew). Reilly Smith looked OK for a couple of weeks when he first got here too.