The Carolina Hurricanes made a big splash at the trade deadline this year, adding forwards Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
The Canes are geared up for a big playoff run and these new additions help boost their odds even more.
Following Friday afternoon's practice, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour spoke to the media about the newest additions. Here's what he had to say:
On the additions: Pretty excited. You don’t really know how these days are going to play out and normally it’s not our moves to go and get guys, but give the organization credit for stepping up. Now we just have to fit these guys in and get them up to speed.
On this season being the one to go all in: I can’t say. I think a lot of it is… with Guentzel, for sure, he’s a top player and any team would have tried to get him I’m sure. We were just the ones who were able to do it and with Kuznetsov, I just think it’s an opportunity there. We know the talent and hopefully we can bring it out of him.
On where he thinks Guentzel may slot in: I haven’t even thought about it. He’s still not able to play, so we’ll kind of figure that out as we go.
On Guentzel: The exciting part about a player like that, is that you see the [scoring] part of that, but you know the character aspect and just the kind of person he is. It just fits everything we always talk about. So it’s check, check, check. Really excited to see how he can fit in here and help us.
On being active at the deadline this year: We usually make the moves in the summer, which is smart. You get a lot of time because it always takes time when you bring new people in. There’s an adjustment period and you don’t really have a lot of time. But when you have special players that are out there, you bend the rules a little. That’s the correct way.
On meeting both guys at the 2022 All-Star Game: It’s interesting that you bring that up, but that is kind of true. It’s a fun event and all that, but you get to meet people that you would never meet and guys on other teams that you’d never probably have the chance to interact with. Then when you do, it can probably go one of two ways and obviously it went a positive way when I met them.
On Michael Bunting: I thought he did a really good job. He started to really come around. It took time, like we talked about, to figure out what was expected and the way we wanted to play. It always takes an adjustment and I really thought he was playing well. Obviously you have to give up something to get something and that’s what happened in this situation.
On Evgeny Kuznetsov’s transparency and motivation: We know the talent is there. A motivated player, sometimes that’s what you need. Obviously that’s what we’re banking on. That he comes with that kind of attitude and he’s willing to do what we ask of him. I think that’s where the fit comes. We have to figure it out.
On if the team got Dmitry Orlov’s input: Didn’t really talk to him about it. I know Justin Williams had some input because he knows him. Everybody that knows anybody, has input, let’s put it that way. We definitely checked the boxes on that kind of avenue, but at the end of the day, when you have a talent that’s just sitting out there and we didn’t have to give up a ton to get it, it’s worth it.
On going all in: We made the extra moves we usually don’t do, but I think every year, that’s the mentality.
On being relieved to be done with the trade deadline: It’s certainly not as stressful for me as it is for those guys. I mean, I’m not getting traded. We laugh about it, but it’s serious business. For a lot of guys, it is a stressful time. You can take a sigh of relief and be like, ‘Okay this is our group. That’s it,’ and move on.
On the excitement in the room: Listen, everyone’s all kumbaya now. And then we have to get to work. There’ll be guys having to move around a little and figure out how it all fits to do the ultimate thing which is to be the best team. That’s what we’re trying to do. It’s a positive day because we got better and that’s what you want.
On if he’ll get Kuznetsov in tomorrow: Yep
On finding the right fit with the new guys: Everyone plays hockey and all these guys are pros, but different systems, different roles and now you’re saying, ‘Here’s what you’re going to do, this is how we do things.’ Could be totally foreign to them, who knows. There’s an adjustment period sometimes for most guys that have come in here. So hopefully because these guys are hockey guys and they’re smart, they’ll pick it up quickly and it’s our job to make sure it’s an easy transition.
On both guys being proven playoff performers: These are the kinds of guys that when they’re out there, you try to figure out how to acquire them. We were the lucky ones. We have to get it out of both these guys and put them in a position where they can succeed in the framework of our group.