The Carolina Hurricanes garnered a reputation for being uncompromising during negotiations. It has led many to call them "tough to work with" and has led to subpar returns, especially at the trade deadline. The team would do something, but not nearly enough to get them over the hump. That all seemed to change at the 2024 trade deadline.
The anticipation in Raleigh was palpable when the team took the ice to face the Montreal Canadiens on March 7, 2024. While Frederik Andersen's return after four months was big news on the ice in a 4-1 victory, everyone's attention was fixated on the news that Carolina was in talks with Pittsburgh about Jake Guentzel.