PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins were mostly quiet at this past trade deadline but had one move that caught the eyes of many in the hockey world. After eight seasons, the Penguins had no choice but to trade Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Guentzel was in the last year of his contract, and no extension talks had taken place between his camp and Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas. As the trade deadline approached, it became clear that Guentzel’s days in Pittsburgh were numbered.
Dubas spoke with Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic and shed some light on new details of the massive trade. Dubas spoke with many people around the organization regarding the deal. Among those spoken with was Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby.
LeBrun wrote that Dubas aims to maintain good communication between him and the team leaders, and Crosby is the most important.
“I think you’d be remiss not to seek his opinion and how he’s feeling,” Dubas said. “Obviously, he’s done so much for the city of Pittsburgh and for the Penguins. … I want his opinion, I value his opinion. We may not always agree and I might have to do things in the short run he disagrees with.”
The Guentzel trade had to have been one of those disagreements, but Dubas believes he is doing what’s best for the team. Moving Guentzel likely rubbed players and coaches the wrong way, but Dubas believes he knows what’s best.
“I would never expect for us to move a key player from our team and have any of those guys, including Sully (head coach Mike Sullivan), Sid, Kris Letang, Geno Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, to think that that’s a good thing.”
Dubas knows that the Penguins core group of players are not only successful, but highly competitive and want to fight for championships every season.
“I understand how that would make them feel,” Dubas said. “My intention was that I have to do what’s best in the long run.”
In return for Guentzel, Dubas secured three prospects that will add to the Penguins’ pipeline, along with Michael Bunting, who is already off to a great start in Pittsburgh. The Guentzel trade may have hurt the Penguins initially, but they all understand the business and won’t let that stop them from competing at the top of their game.
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