The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Thursday that Jake Guentzel has agreed to a contract extension. The deal is worth $30 million over five years or $6 million per season AAV. It is set to begin next season and will run through 2023-24.
Penguins Re-Sign Jake Guentzel
The Penguins have re-signed forward Jake Guentzel to a five-year, $30 million contract extension. The deal begins with the 2019.20 season.
Rutherford on @jakenbake20: “He has become a core player on the team.”
Full details: https://t.co/dIhAQeT1Uu pic.twitter.com/iZlnEqBfni
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 27, 2018
Guentzel agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract extension with the Penguins Thursday evening. The deal carries an average annual value of $6 million. This contract solidifies his place with the team through the 2023-24 season.
Since earning a call-up halfway through the season in 2016, Guentzel has proven to be an integral part of the Pens lineup. The young forward has shined in his playoff performances, joining the ranks of Mario Lemieux as the only two players in NHL history to record double-digit goals in their first two playoff runs. After two playoff appearances, he owns 23 goals and 19 assists for 42 points in 37 Stanley Cup Playoff games. During the Penguins successful Stanley Cup run in 2017, Guentzel was the top post-season scorer in the NHL with 13 goals, second most ever by a rookie in history.
What this means for the future
Guentzel is on par for another blow-out year, which will make this deal a steal for the Penguins. The forward is currently second on the team, notching 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points this season. He’s already netted a hat trick and cemented a new career-long point streak of six games.
Guentzel has proven to be a core offensive piece for Pittsburgh. Securing this deal takes away the potential for any RFA holdout after his entry-level contract expired in July. After seeing the way he produces on the top line with captain Sidney Crosby, the Penguins weren’t going to risk losing him.
The Penguins drafted Guentzel 16th in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft, 77th overall. In 158 games, he’s tallied 53 goals and 61 assists for 114 total points.
Main Photo: MONTREAL, QC – OCTOBER 13: Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel (59) skates towards the play during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 13, 2018, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
