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The Carolina Hurricanes might be starting to accept they will lose pending unrestricted free agent Jake Guentzel just months after trading for him.
According to the latest reports, the Canes will make Guentzel’s negotiating rights available in a low-price trade ahead of the start of free agency on July 1. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that information on June 7, in an episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast.
“It sounds like he is available for a mid-round pick,” Friedman said on June 7. “I believe Carolina has let everyone know that if you want to trade for his rights for the chance to sign him, that it is possible for a mid-round pick.
“I think there’s a ton of interest. I think you just got to know… do you think you’re going to him?”
Any team acquiring Guentzel’s rights before free agency can sign him to an eight-year contract. If said team (whether that’s Carolina or a mystery team trading for him) cannot agree to an extension before July 1, Guentzel will be limited to signing a seven-year deal.
Hurricanes & Guentzel Interested in Signing Extension
The Hurricanes traded for Pittsburgh Penguins’ Guentzel before March 8, coinciding with the trade deadline, in exchange for a haul.
Guentzel quickly found his groove in Raleigh, scoring 25 points in 17 regular-season games with the team and then adding 5 goals and 4 assists in the playoffs before the New York Rangers eliminated the Hurricanes in the second round.
Both Guentzel and the Hurricanes initially expressed interest in signing a long-term deal after the season and before July 1.
General Manager Don Waddell indicated the team’s desire to retain Guentzel on May 20.
“With Jake, I think he played a good role here,” Waddell said. “We have begun those talks. We’ll talk to him also.”
Guentzel also expressed his interest in staying in Carolina during the end-of-season media availability on May 18. That is, of course, if he could agree to a contract extension with the Canes in the offseason.
“I loved my experience here,” Guentzel said. “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.
“I want to [win] more than anything, and that’s all I care about. That definitely plays a factor into it. Hopefully, you can kind of get some stability and be able to sign here long-term.”
Despite mutual interest, negotiations seem to have stalled, and fearing losing Guentzel for nothing, the Hurricanes would rather dangle the forward’s negotiating rights ahead of July 1.
CapFriendly gives Carolina approximately $26.5 million in projected cap space. The Canes only have 18 players under contract next season, however. The Athletic projected Guentzel to land a $9.9 million AAV contract in free agency, taking nearly a third of the cap space by himself.
Blackhawks Might Enter Jake Guentzel’s Sweepstakes
The Chicago Blackhawks could emerge as a contender for Guentzel. Elliott Friedman suggested that the Hakws might pursue Guentzel, envisioning a dynamic forward line featuring him and Connor Bedard.
“I look at it this way,” Friedman said on the June 5 edition of the Jeff Marek Show. “Jake Guentzel is a Midwest guy. Chicago is a Midwest location. Also, they do need to get players to play with the guard… and it just doesn’t seem insane to me.”
Guentzel could bring championship pedigree to the Blackhawks and take Bedard under his wing. The forward won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017 and comes with a loaded resume including 491 points in 520 games over eight seasons.
The pending free agent scored 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games split between Pittsburgh and Carolina in 2024.
The Blackhawks project to have $33.8 million in cap space for the upcoming season, so landing Guentzel even at the gaudy near-$10 million projection aforementioned would be easy to accomplish.
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