TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins hope to have a trade in place for forward Jake Guentzel by Wednesday. The news is significant as it confirms that the Penguins are committed to moving Guentzel out to bring younger pieces into the organization.
In the report, Dreger indicates that the Penguins are looking for a first-round pick, a young NHL-caliber player, and prospects. TSN’s Chris Johnston also reports that the teams looking to acquire Guentzel are not interested in pursuing a contract extension and view him as a rental.
The news comes only a day after reporting indicated the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights were two primary suitors for Guentzel’s services. Undoubtedly, Vancouver can create the best trade package between the two regarding prospects they could send to Pittsburgh. However, the Golden Knights still have a 2024 first-round pick to send to the Penguins, with Vancouver not having a draft pick until the third round of this year’s upcoming draft.
Albeit a rare scenario in the NHL, the Penguins are putting themselves in a position to trade two months of Guentzel for much-needed prospect and draft capital and re-sign him to a lengthy contract in the offseason. Throughout Guentzel’s eight-year career in Pittsburgh, it has become clear that he and franchise icon Sidney Crosby are very close both off and on the ice.
Now 10 points back of a playoff position in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference wild-card race, the logic behind trading Guentzel is clear. However, given that Guentzel is so close to Crosby, the ramifications of a trade may be heavy on the team and General Manager Kyle Dubas.
Nevertheless, whichever team acquires Guentzel will undoubtedly favor his impressive track record during the Stanley Cup playoffs. In 58 career playoff games, Guentzel has scored 34 goals and 58 points overall, including a Stanley Cup championship against the Nashville Predators in 2017.
Sitting 11th, 12th, and 14th in the league in GF/G, respectively, the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Golden Knights need Guentzel’s offensive prowess come playoff time. Ultimately, several teams are likely still involved in the mix, allowing Dubas to take the best deal on the table.
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