Cruz Lucius was acquired by the Penguins as part of the trade involving Jake Guentzel. This move reflects Dubas's commitment to stockpiling young talent and building a competitive roster for the future. Lucius is viewed as a more NHL-ready prospect who could contribute to the team's success sooner than other younger players, aligning with Dubas's 'two-window' approach to rebuilding the franchise.

The Hurricanes secured Guentzel by trading forward Michael Bunting, forward prospects Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen, the rights to forward Cruz Lucius, a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 Draft to Pittsburgh.

Cruz Lucius, a promising prospect acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, has shown strong development and a more two-way playing style while playing for the University of Wisconsin and now Arizona State University. His potential as a middle to bottom-six player is on the rise.

Cruz Lucius, a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect, has decided to enter the transfer portal after playing for Wisconsin and is considering schools like Boston University for a chance at contending for a national title and furthering his development as a 20-year-old right wing player.

Cruz Lucius was part of a trade between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, with the Penguins giving up Michael Bunting, Jake Guentzel, and Ty Smith in the deal.