Jake Guentzel continues to bash the Pittsburgh Penguins with brutal comments

Jake Guentzel was one of the biggest names in the NHL free agent market, signing a hefty long-term deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. It wasn't exactly the easiest road to Tampa Bay for him, though, as he spent the first portion of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then was traded at the trade deadline to the Carolina Hurricanes halfway through last season. As Guentzel prepares for his first season with the Lighting on a seven-year deal, he's making it clear that inking a contract with Tampa wasn't exactly a dream come true, via Josh Yohe of The Athletic.

Speaking with Yohe, Guentzel discussed the struggles of last season and how challenging the trade was on him and his family. Despite that, he's gotten 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games between the Penguins and Hurricanes, and yet there still seemed to be an overwhelming undercurrent of uncertainty looming over his future. It wasn't easy for Guentzel to leave the team that had drafted him 77th overall in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, as he still harboured a bit of resentment regarding how his time in Pittsburgh came to a close.

The move to trade Guentzel was made by then-Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, which for many within the organization was something that has come out of left field. Dubas sent Guentzel to Carolina, a move the forward insists he did not see coming. If the drama did not stop there, the captain of the Penguins, Sidney Crosby, voiced his dissatisfaction with the move publicly to an extent that called the intentions of management into question and sent shockwaves around the league.

Anyway, upheaval or no upheaval, Guentzel means to hit the ground running with the Lightning. He's fully aware of how much he has resting on his shoulders, and he's okay with it. He gives quite a bit of credit for his development as both a player and a leader to his old captain, Sidney Crosby, and doesn't bear any ill will toward his old teammates. Rather, he reflects on what he took away from his time in Pittsburgh and how it has prepared him for this next chapter in his career.

As Jake Guentzel gets ready to embark on this new phase of his career with the Lightning, he's ready to shut the book on what happened in the past and move on. Maybe the way things went down in his departure from Pittsburgh still might burn, but he's ready to make the most of the opportunity with Tampa Bay. With talent and drive, Guentzel is pegged to be a key factor for the Lightning in seasons to come.