Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel have played on the same line for nearly a decade, winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and creating one of the better one-two punches in the game of hockey.
But with the Pens floundering and unable to claw back into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, and Guentzel set to become an unrestricted free agent over the summer, Thursday night marked the end of the road for the American in Pennsylvania.
Guentzel was shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes along with Ty Smith on Thursday night, and he joins a top team in its quest for a first championship since 2006.
But for Crosby, losing his longtime teammate is probably not at all what he anticipated after GM Kyle Dubas brought Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh in the offseason. This squad was supposed to compete for a postseason berth all year long, but instead, the team looks to have waved the white flag on the season.
And that doesn't sit well with one of the greatest and most decorated hockey players of all time.
“I don't know,” the captain admitted when asked by The Athletic's Rob Rossi what kind of message the team's management sent with the trade. “That's probably a better question for them.”
It's obvious and understandable that Sid wouldn't be pleased with how the 2023-24 campaign has turned out. It's looking like, for the first time since Crosby was drafted by the Penguins, the team will miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Sidney Crosby unhappy with trade, but complimentary of Jake Guentzel
Still, Crosby had high praise for his longtime teammate.
“He’s a great teammate, a friend,” one superstar said of another, per Rossi. “I think he did everything he possibly could in his time here. It was just a privilege to play with him for the course of the time. Some great memories. It was a privilege. That’s all I can say.”
Now 7-10-2 in their last 19 games, exacerbated by a brutal 6-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, we're firmly in miracle territory for this team to advance.
The Penguins won't be in the 2024 postseason. But Sidney Crosby will continue to conduct business as usual over the final month-and-a-half — even without Jake Guentzel.
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