Pittsburgh Penguins Pull Off Blockbuster Trade

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Jake Guentzel era is over for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The goal-scoring winger was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night in a blockbuster move.

The Penguins get forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and conditional 2024 first-round and fifth-round draft picks from the Hurricanes in exchange for Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith.

“The decision to trade Jake Guentzel, with his contract set to expire this off-season, was one of the most difficult decisions that I have had to make in my time in management," Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas said in a news release.

"We cannot thank Jake and his family enough for their contributions to the Penguins since he was drafted in 2013 and wish him our very best.”

Bunting is signed through the 2025-26 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $4.5 million. Koivunen is signed through the 2025-26 season and Ponomaryov, who will report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, is signed through the 2024-25 season.

Bunting, 28, has skated in 60 games this season with the Hurricanes and tallied 13 goals, 23 assists and 36 points. His 13 goals rank fifth on the team, while his assist and point totals both rank sixth. The forward has tallied six power-play goals and a career-high 16 power-play points, which rank third and second on the team, respectively.