It turns out a reunion might be in the cards for the Pittsburgh Penguins and pending free-agent forward Jake Guentzel.
Josh Yohe of The Athletic revealed on June 20 that according to a person close to the Carolina Hurricanes player, he will leave his current team while he “would love” to rejoin the Penguins.
“Guentzel isn’t returning to Raleigh. Is there a chance he could return to Pittsburgh?” Yohe wondered. “The verdict: Guentzel would love to return to Pittsburgh, and there’s a chance it happens—but only a small chance.”
According to Yohe, Guentzel’s desire to return to Pittsburgh “makes sense” given his (and his wife’s) affinity for the city, his fondness for playing under Coach Sullivan, and his synergy with Sidney Crosby.
However, there are significant obstacles between Guentzel’s pending free agency and a potential arrival in Pittsburgh.
First, the Penguins must fill multiple roster spots with only $10.7 million in cap space and 15 active players under contract.
And second, Guentzel is “likely to receive somewhere between $8 million and $10 million annually,” per Yohe. That makes it financially challenging for Pittsburgh to find enough room for everyone.
“All things considered,” Yohe wrote, “it appears quite unlikely that Guentzel will return.”
Jake Guentzel’s Comments Pointing Toward Hurricanes Extension
Although Yohe mentioned it “makes sense” for Guentzel to consider a return to Pittsburgh, the latest comments made by the former Penguin pointed toward signing an extension with the Hurricanes.
“Hopefully, [I] can kind of get some stability and be able to sign here long-term,” he told reporters on May 18.
The Penguins drafted Guentzel with the No. 77 pick in the 2013 NHL draft. He spent eight seasons in Pittsburgh before being traded to Carolina on March 7.
Guentzel accumulated 466 points (219 goals, 247 assists) in 503 regular-season games and 58 points (34 goals, 24 assists) in 58 playoff games, including a significant role in the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup victory.
The trade to Carolina on March 7 was a shock, but a reasonable decision by Penguins GM Kyle Dubas with the forward in the final year of his $30 million deal.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman appeared on NHL Tonight on June 13 and said he doesn’t think Guentzel “has given up on the idea” of returning to Carolina.
“Well, I there’s obviously a lot of interest,” Friedman said. “I don’t think Guentzel has given up on the idea of Carolina. But I do think that, honestly, I think he wants to know what the market is at some point before he makes a commitment.”
Could Guentzel’s Uncertain Future Lead to Pittsburgh?
Although not in the same situation, Carolina finds itself in a similar position regarding handling Guentzel’s future.
The forward is a pending free agent, and fearing losing him for nothing, the Hurricanes are willing to trade his negotiating rights before the market opens.
Friedman reported on June 7 that the Hurricanes have valued Guentzel at the price of a “mid-round pick” if they cannot agree to an extension before July 1.
“It sounds like he is available for a mid-round pick,” Friedman said. “I believe Carolina has let everyone know that if you want to trade for his rights for the chance to sign him, that it is possible for a mid-round pick.”
Guentzel scored 25 points in 17 regular-season games and added 9 in the playoffs. Former Hurricanes GM Don Waddell emphasized the team’s interest in retaining Guentzel.
“With Jake, I think he played a good role here,” Waddell said on May 20. “We have begun those talks. We’ll talk to him also.”
Friedman also noted Carolina’s approach to letting players explore the market while keeping the door open for their return. However, that could be a risky approach if Guentzel finds a team he likes with enough cap room to land him.
“Carolina’s kind of an interesting team,” Friedman said. “They’re not afraid of saying ‘Okay, this is what we consider our limit and you can kind of see what else is out there.’”
The Penguins should not be expected to trade for Guentzel’s rights if the forward is interested in negotiating with them just a few days later. Whether or not Pittsburgh decides to use most of its cap space in signing Guentzel, however, is still unknown and dependent on how the handle other roster pieces.
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