Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has set his price on forward Jake Guentzel, it appears.
The 29-year-old hockey player could be one of the most coveted players before the trade deadline in the National Hockey League (NHL). The winger is finishing a five-year contract that allowed him to earn $6 million annually. He could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
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According to Sportsnet hockey expert Elliotte Friedman, Dubas would like compensation similar to that obtained by the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Claude Giroux in March 2022.
The eastern Pennsylvania club traded its captain to the Florida Panthers for forward Owen Tippett, a first-round draft pick in 2024 and a third-round selection in 2023.
In early February, former player-turned-Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos said the Penguins offered Guentzel a six-year extension worth $8.5 million annually. The American, however, reportedly refused the offer.
Selected in the third round (77th overall) of the 2013 draft, Guentzel has never worn a uniform other than that of the “Pens” in the NHL. He hit the target 219 times and provided 244 assists for 463 points in 499 games.
In 2023-2024, the man who has worked to the left of Sidney Crosby for several years could experience the best season of his career in terms of statistics. He has amassed 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points in 49 games so far.
The Penguins are in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 23-19-7. They are seven points behind the Detroit Red Wings, the team that currently holds the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.