Jake Guentzel in Raleigh long-term?
Although the Carolina Hurricanes fell short of their ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup in 2024, it’s hard to not call the Jake Guentzel experiment in Raleigh a success. The veteran forward scored 25 points over 17 regular-season games, and added another four goals and nine points over 11 postseason contests.
Guentzel was excellent against both the New York Islanders and New York Rangers as the club came within two wins of defeating the President’s Trophy winners. The series could have went either way, with two games needing overtime and four of the six decided by one goal.
Despite a tough ending, it was a terrific showing with the only team besides the Pittsburgh Penguins that Guentzel has ever known. And general manager Don Waddell wants to keep the American around.
“With Jake, I think he played a good role here,” Waddell said on Monday, according to NHL.com’s Kurt Dusterberg. “I know Sebastian [Aho] talked about how much he liked playing with him. We have begun those talks. We’ll talk to him also.”
The Hurricanes have a deep group of pending UFAs, with nine players eligible to hit the open market on July 1. Guentzel is the key one, of course, but the list also includes forwards Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen and Jordan Martinook, defensemen Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Jalen Chatfield and Tony DeAngelo, and goaltender Antti Raanta.
“Players play for a long time to become unrestricted and find out what the marketplace is going to pay them,” added Waddell. We’re hoping we can nip that a little bit with a few of the guys, but certainly there’s going to be guys going to unrestricted free agency, that’s for sure, on July 1.”
It’ll be impossible to keep all nine of those unrestricted free agents, and Carolina figures to look at least a little bit different next year. But it’s looking increasingly likely that Guentzel could remain in Raleigh long-term.
And his head coach — who was recently signed to an extension himself — would like nothing more.
Rod Brind’Amour wants Jake Guentzel to stick with Hurricanes
“No. 1, he’s a great player,” Brind’Amour said on Monday, per Dusterberg. “We want good people that are good players, and he’s checked both boxes. And in the short time he’s been here, I think he enjoyed the group and the way we do things, so that gives us hope that maybe we can make this work.”
Guentzel spent his entire career with the Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup in his rookie season in 2017. But with the team fading away from the postseason in 2024, and considering his pending UFA status, Kyle Dubas traded him to Carolina for Michael Bunting, three prospects and two draft picks, one of them a first in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Although the Hurricanes are known for targeting rentals, there seems to be a ton of interest from both player and club to work something out.
“I loved my experience here,” Guentzel said on Saturday. “It’s a great place to play. I don’t think you realize the behind the scenes, how good it is. The guys make it good too. We’re going to see what happens over the next little bit here.”
If the Hurricanes can find some money for Guentzel, they should enter next season as Stanley Cup favorites yet again — regardless of how many other UFAs the front office is able to get re-signed.
