Jake Guentzel Reaveals His True Intentions Were To Stay In Pittsburgh

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Hunter Bowman
March 27, 2024 (10:15 PM)

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Pittsburgh fans got emotional as former Penguins forward Jake Guentzel made his return to PPG Paints Arena with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The crowd showed their love with signs welcoming Guentzel back, and the Penguins honored him with a video tribute six minutes into the game.

Thanks to Sidney Crosby's stellar performance with three points, the Penguins secured a solid 4-1 victory, aiming to stay in the wild card race in the Eastern Conference.

Reflecting on his trade, Guentzel shared with reporters that while he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh, the team opted for a different direction.

"My intention was to stay, but they thought there was a better direction..." Guentzel said to reporters.

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas orchestrated the deal, sending Guentzel to Carolina before the trade deadline. In return, the Penguins acquired Michael Bunting, forward prospects Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen, rights to forward Cruz Lucius, a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a conditional fifth-round pick in the same draft.

Since joining the Hurricanes, Guentzel has been on fire, racking up 12 points in nine games. He's expected to play a pivotal role in the playoffs, boosting Carolina's top-six and powerplay units as they eye a Stanley Cup Final berth.

With free agency looming on July 1st, all eyes are on Guentzel's market. Teams will likely vie for his services, and a significant pay raise from his current $6 million salary seems inevitable.

Source: Jake Guentzel says he wanted to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins