Lightning acquire F Jake Guentzel from Hurricanes for draft pick

Field Level Media|published: Sun 30th June, 12:47 2024

May 11, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jake Guentzel (59) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the first period in game four of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired forward Jake Guentzel from the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Guentzel, 29, can become an unrestricted free agent at noon ET on Monday. He completed the final season of a five-year, $30 million contract signed before the 2019-20 season when he played for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Tampa Bay has exclusive rights to sign him, possibly to a maximum seven-year contract, before the window closes Monday.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said Saturday that they expect team captain Steven Stamkos, a star center who is 34, to test free agency.

Carolina had traded in March with Pittsburgh for Guentzel, a 2021 All-Star. He had 22 goals and 30 assists in 50 games for the Penguins, and eight goals and 17 assists with the Hurricanes in 17 regular-season contests for a combined plus-25 rating. He contributed nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 playoff games.

Pittsburgh selected Guentzel in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft, and he won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017.

In eight NHL seasons starting in 2016-17, Guentzel has 227 goals, 264 assists, 31 game-winning scores and has a plus-53 rating in 520 regular-season games. He has an additional 67 points (38 goals, 29 assists) in 69 playoff contests.

--Field Level Media

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