Jake Guentzel’s homecoming speculated after massive trade during season

Former Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel has completed the final year of his current five-year, $30,000,000 contract. He will likely hit free agency this summer if contract negotiations with the Carolina Hurricanes are not reached before July 1.

Meanwhile, rumors of Guentzel’s possible return to the Penguins have been going around for quite some time. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe recently shared his take on the speculations surrounding the former Stanley Cup champions’ potential homecoming in Pittsburgh.

Yohe believes it’s unlikely that Guentzel will sign with the Penguins this summer. He mentioned that despite Guentzel’s love for Pittsburgh and his strong connection with Sidney Crosby, the move is far-fetched for now.

Yohe also pointed out that Guentzel was upset about being traded, and even more so that the Penguins didn’t make a serious effort to sign him to a long-term contract:

“Guentzel played really well in Carolina and his value is off the charts. Someone will throw huge money at him, probably at least $9 million annually for six-plus years. I don’t see the Penguins matching that unless they could rid themselves of a ton of unwanted salary,” Josh Yohe wrote.

The Penguins have limited cap space for the coming season and other roster needs to be addressed. Given Guentzel’s strong performance in Carolina, Yohe mentioned that the left wing’s market value has skyrocketed.

According to him, the expected offers would be at least $9 million annually for six or more years. Yohe doubts the Penguins could match such offers unless they free up a significant amount of salary cap space.

Earlier this season, Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on the trade deadline with Ty Smith. In return, the Penguins received Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, prospect Cruz Lucius, Vasili Ponomaryov and two conditional 2024 draft picks.

Jake Guentzel on being traded from Pittsburgh Penguins and future in Carolina

While speaking during the Carolina Hurricanes end of season media availability, Jake Guentzel addressed his possibilities of resigning with the Canes. He expressed positive feelings and credited his teammates for making it enjoyable:

“I loved my experience here,” Guentzel said. “It’s a great place to play. I don’t think you realize behind the scenes how good it is and the guys make it good too. We’ll see what happens. I just loved my time here and we’re going to see what happens in the next little bit here.” [H/T Hockey News]

He mentioned feeling comfortable and welcomed by his teammates:

“It felt good. It’s an easy group to be a part of. Just unbelievable guys and they made it pretty easy for me.”

When asked about his experience of being traded, the former Pittsburgh Penguins forward described it as something new and ‘fun’. He acknowledged that while it can be comfortable to stay in one place for a while, experiencing something different can be exciting:

“It was a new experience, but that’s what’s fun about it sometimes. You kind of get used to a spot so it was fun to have a new experience and get to a new place where it’s kind of a new challenge. Family loved it and it was a great spot for us,” Guentzel said.

It will be interesting to see what unfolds for Jake Guentzel in the coming months.

Do you think he could return to Pittsburgh for next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.