When the Carolina Hurricanes were considering their options to become real contenders for the Stanley Cup, on the eve of the trade deadline, they were considering acquiring players who would be able to register the goal that would make the difference in crucial moments.
General manager Don Waddell approached the Washington Capitals for permission to speak with Evgeny Kuznetsov, a talented but erratic center who had just been placed on waivers and demoted to their league club. American hockey team. Waddell and his assistants also did their homework on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, who was on track to test the free agent market next summer. With about 20 hours to go until the trade deadline, Waddell acquired these two players from section rivals.
The Hurricanes are 10-2-1 since their arrival. Guentzel and Kuznetsov have adapted easily to their new team, which plays dynamically and represents a constant threat on offense, in addition to being very effective on defense. Certainly, the Hurricanes have not yet been subjected to real tests, since these will most likely come at the start of the playoffs, on April 20, but there is no doubt that they will covet the precious trophy this spring.
PHOTO JAMES GUILLORY, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES VIA REUTERS CON
Evgeny Kuznetsov
“We want to reach our full potential at the right time,” Waddell admitted in a telephone interview Monday. Sometimes you make trades that fail, so we’ll see what happens in the playoffs. However, we were certain that we were going to add two good team players to this locker room. »
And, with a little luck, two players who can finally help the Hurricanes break the bad luck, and allow them to have a long playoff run. The North Carolina team was swept by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals last year, lost to the New York Rangers in the second round in 2022, and again in the second round ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 – the Florida team then defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final series, thereby confirming its second consecutive title.
The Hurricanes have won just five of their 13 road games during that stretch, a trend they aim to reverse by adding experienced players who have proven themselves in North American post-season hockey.
Guentzel produced at a point-per-game pace with 34 goals and 24 assists in 58 playoff games with the Penguins, and Kuznetsov was instrumental in the Capitals’ Stanley Cup championship in 2018.
Serious injuries to Max Pacioretty in January and Andrei Svechnikov in March, however, derailed the Hurricanes’ hopes of winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. This time around, however, the Hurricanes should have no trouble finding the back of the net. opponent with the arrival of Guentzel and Kuznetsov – not to mention Sebastian Aho (33 goals), Seth Jarvis (29), Martin Necas (23) and Teuvo Teravainen (21).
“We knew we had gotten two great players,” commented head coach Rod Brind’Amour. The question was where they would fit into our training. They need to be inserted in the right places, and acclimatized to the team as quickly as possible in order to reach their full potential. »