After weeks of discussions, the Pittsburgh Penguins and President and GM Kyle Dubas decided it was best to trade Sidney Crosby's wingman, Jake Guentzel, late last night following a 6-0 loss to the Washington Capitals. Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes along with Ty Smith for two conditional draft picks, three prospects and former Toronto Maple Leaf Michael Bunting.
Following their loss and the news breaking that Guentzel had been traded, reporters asked Crosby what message trading Guentzel sends to the Penguins, who are currently 8 points out of the second wild card spot.
At 36, Crosby is having one of his best seasons ever for a player in that age range with 32 goals and 63 points in 61 games so far. He is eligible to sign an extension come July 1st as he enters the final year of his contract and while he says he wants to remain a Penguin for the rest of his career, his demeanor following the Guentzel trade might suggest that Dubas just rubbed Crosby the wrong way with the move, which could put a strain on the relationship between the player and the organization.
