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NHL Rumors: Elliotte Friedman links Jake Guentzel to Central Division team in upcoming free agency move
Elliotte Friedman has led speculation by linking Jake Guentzel to a potential move to a Central Division team in free agency. Friedman shared that Guentzel, a Midwest native, could find a fitting home with a team like the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I look at it this way," Friedman said (via The Jeff Marek show), "Jake Guentzel is a Midwest guy. Chicago is a Midwest location. Also, they do need to get players to play with the guard. Same reasons you just explained there."
"And, it just doesn't seem insane to me. And I don't know if Chicago accelerates this process as much as they realize they have to move things forward."
"And they have to begin surrounding the guard with some players that will allow him to showcase even more. So our rationales are similar. We're just picking different locations, and I'm going with Chicago because of the proximity to work and solace from."
Guentzel's performance during the regular season and playoffs has shown he can be one of the league's top wingers. Despite being traded from Pittsburgh to Carolina, Guentzel continues to excel.
Here are Jake Guentzel's stats for this NHL regular season spanning Penguins and Hurricanes:
- Games Played (GP): 67
- Goals (G): 30
- Assists (A): 47
- Points (PTS): 77
- Plus/Minus (+/-): 25
- Penalty Minutes (PIM): 22
- Time on Ice per Game (TOI/G): 20:01
He shows that he's more than just a product of playing alongside Sidney Crosby.
Guentzel's projected market value is almost $10 million per season for the next seven years, making his potential signing a significant investment.
Jake Guentzel recently reflected on bond with Sidney Crosby
Jake Guentzel was pivotal to the Pittsburgh Penguins for nearly a decade since joining in 2013. His standout moment came in 2017 as a rookie, helping secure the Stanley Cup and leading in postseason goals. Over eight years, Guentzel was a consistent scorer, notably as Sidney Crosby's go-to winger, tallying 219 goals, with Crosby assisting on 114.
When Guentzel left due to injury and later traded to Carolina in March, Crosby praised him as a great player and friend.
“A great player, a great teammate, a friend, He did everything he possibly could in his time here. Just a privilege to play with him,” Crosby said (via hockeynews.com).
Jake Guentzel reflected on his time in Pittsburgh on May 4, 2024:
“It was tough because I was so close to a couple guys, especially Sid, I sat next to him for I don’t know how long, and a guy I really looked up to and a guy who took me under his wing,” Guentzel said.
“I was very fortunate to play alongside him, We got so close, he’s really like an older brother to me,” Guentzel added.
He particularly stressed Crosby's influence and described him as an older brother.
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