Penguins GM Kyle Dubas finally opens up on Jake Guentzel trade 

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas opened up about trading Jake Guentzel, who's about to become a free agent.

Dubas knows it's a big deal because Jake Guentzel was a key part of the team and seeing him walk out was tough.

"Yeah, and I wasn’t there the whole time with him, but I could feel internally the disappointment in seeing Jake walk out the door, and I understand that," Dubas said.

"He was a key member of the last Stanley Cup the team won, as a younger player coming up with the group. He’s a great, character person, everyone knows he’s a tremendous competitor."

Despite the sentimentality surrounding Jake Guentzel's departure, Dubas recognized the necessity of prioritizing the long-term vision for the Penguins.

"It’s tough when you have to make those decisions, But you have to always do what you believe is best for the long term of the organization and my sights were set on giving the team as long as possible to assert itself more in the race," Dubas added.

Dubas's strategic outlook extended beyond the immediate impact of the trade.

Michael Bunting was also included in the Penguins deal. So, Dubas tried to look towards the positives.

"The other part was getting back a roster player (Michael Bunting) that could help us as well in addition to the future assets,'' Dubas explained.

Navigating the complexities of managing an aging roster and a thin pipeline, Dubas recognized the challenges ahead. However, he wants to build for the future while remaining competitive in the present.

"We’re still in it, in the wild-card race and in our division, We just have to be stacking more wins together, having had a better week last week and I’m excited to see how we handle the weeks ahead," he said.

Jake Guentzel and the Hurricanes won 7-2 over the Senators

The Carolina Hurricanes dominated the Ottawa Senators 7-2, led by Dmitry Orlov's two goals and two assists.

"We just put the puck deep and tried to forecheck. That’s our strength as a team," Orlov said.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour praised their ability to capitalize on opportunities, saying:

"All of a sudden, we got those chances and then, in the net, in the net, and that’s deflating for the other team."

Carolina's Jake Guentzel and Brendan Lemieux each contributed a goal and an assist to the victory, with Lemieux's tip-in described as a key moment. Teuvo Teravainen missed the game due to injury.