"My intention was to stay": Jake Guentzel reflects on his exit from Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina Hurricanes forward Jake Guentzel, who has left the team, recently shared his perspective on departing the Hurricanes, offering candid insight into how the move unfolded, including what was and wasn’t within his control.

According to reports, the Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired forward Jake Guentzel from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 30, 2025. Furthermore, reports suggest that before his legal entry into free agency, the Lightning were able to negotiate a new contract with him due to this rights-based transaction, which he quickly took advantage of by agreeing to a seven-year, $63 million deal.

Let’s find out what Jake Guentzel has to say about it.

Reason behind Jake Guentzel's exit

Following Jake Guentzel’s exit from Carolina Hurricanes, the former forward player has opened up about leaving the team. Guentzel had to leave as during the 2024 NHL off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning signed him to a seven-year, $63 million contract, after they acquired his signing rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. Speaking about his exit, the forward player opened up recently during an appearance on the "Cam and Strick" podcast.

Guentzel stated, "Yeah, that was just a whirlwind kind of time, you know; first time going to a different team, you're not sure how it's going to go. But I loved my time there; great team, great group of guys, and it was a lot of fun to be out there with those guys. Aho, I think, is an unbelievable player. Jarvy's a great player too, so those guys were just special players to play with."

"Yeah, just, there was kind of a lot of back and forth before free agency.

I was hoping to get a deal done right after the season, just didn't kind of come to fruition. And as time got closer and it got closer to free agency, I was kind of sitting there, just, you know, I'm already four days away from free agency; let's just wait it out and see what happens. And then Tampa came, traded for my rights, and I think that was a no-brainer for me when that happened," he further added.

(Source: Sportingnews.com)

Road ahead for Guentzel

Jake Guentzel is ready to start the next phase of his NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning after agreeing to a new seven-year, $63 million contract. For the 29-year-old striker, who is starting his prime with a track record of playoff heroism and top-line scoring, the move signifies stability and high expectations.Also Read: Is Aaron Ekblad the next Florida Panther player to have his number retired? | NHL News - Times of IndiaGuentzel joins a Lightning squad that wants to retool for the future while maintaining its winning legacy. He is anticipated to fit in well with Tampa's high-octane offense while playing with top forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and captain Steven Stamkos. He is a perfect fit for the Lightning's aggressive style because of his ability to both create and finish plays.