By Tara Hun-Dorris

Both Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov had a short but sweet tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes. The left winger and center were both brought on in 2024 to bolster the ‘Canes talented but inconsistent offense and booster our chances at success for a cup run after long stints with Metro rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, respectively. Guentzel had a natural chemistry with Sebastian Aho and the rest of the ‘Canes first line and had a better playoff performance (4 goals, 5 assists, +4) than Kuznetsov (4 goals, 2 assists, +1), but Kuznetsov seemed happy to be welcomed at Carolina coming off of a challenging year personally that included time in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

While the rumor mill was rife about Guentzel – one minute he was miserable at Carolina, the next he was house hunting in the Triangle – he always sort of felt like a rental. He never intended to come to Carolina but was placed here by his organization and quickly exited for the warmer waters of Tampa Bay. To a fan observing the action, it felt like Kuznetsov was doing his best to make at least a temporary hockey home in Carolina and had planned to stay through the 2024-25 season. His reunion with long-term friend Dmitri Orlov was a joy to watch. As were his bird antics while wearing ‘Canes red and black. And despite already having a cup with the Caps, Kuznetsov took the game 6 loss to the Rangers in the playoffs as hard as any long-time player, stating, “It did suck actually. So after the game it was pretty hard and still kind of one of those games I’ll probably never forget.” 

It is a shame that’s how Kuznetsov’s short stint with the ‘Canes ended. The organization put him on unconditional waivers on 17 July 2024 and had his contract terminated the next day, freeing up approximately $4 million in cap space for both the ‘Canes and Caps. He is expected to return to Russia to finish out his hockey career in the KHL. We wish Kuznetsov and his family all the best!