Bruins Rival Swings Big Trade Before Start Of NHL Free Agency

A pair of Boston Bruins rivals worked together to make a big splash Sunday morning.

The Lightning acquired Jake Guentzel from the Hurricanes in exchange for a third-round pick in next year’s NHL draft. Guentzel left Carolina after only two months in Raleigh, where he landed ahead of the trade deadline last season. The Canes, whose season ended in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, gave up four players and two draft picks to acquire Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 29-year-old is coming off a very productive campaign in which he logged the second most points of his career. Guentzel scored 30 goals and dished out 47 assists in 67 contests split between Pittsburgh and Carolina. The two-time All-Star also ranked third among Hurricanes in postseason scoring (nine points), trailing only Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov.

The Bolts executed the blockbuster deal amid great uncertainty in Tampa Bay. Longtime team captain Steven Stamkos, drafted first overall by the organization in 2008, is bound for the open market and is in jeopardy of leaving the franchise after 16 seasons. Stamkos’ agent recently confirmed the two-time Stanley Cup champion and the Lightning will not work out a new deal before the start of free agency.

NHL free agency officially begins July 1.