The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that top forward Jake Guentzel will be out for up to four weeks due to injury. The Penguins placed Guentzel on IR and also recalled forwards Jonathan Gruden, Vinnie Hinostroza and Valtteri Puustinen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.
The Penguins have recalled forwards Jonathan Gruden, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Valtteri Puustinen from the @WBSPenguins.
Forward Jake Guentzel has been placed on Injured Reserve. Guentzel is expected to miss up to four weeks with a projected return to the Penguins in early March.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 15, 2024
Jake Guentzel Out for Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Penguins have found themselves in a tough spot a few weeks before the upcoming trade deadline. They are outside of the playoff picture trying to climb their way into contention. If they remain on the outside come March 8th, they may look to sell some assets. One of the top names that “may” have been available, not just for Pittsburgh, but across the league, is Penguins star forward Jake Guentzel. However, following an injury against the Florida Panthers, now Guentzel will be out for multiple weeks with an anticipated return around early March.
Drafted in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Pittsburgh stuck gold when they selected Guentzel. The Nebraska, Omaha native has been a top goal-scorer for the Penguins over his career. This includes two 40-goal seasons and one with 36. This year, in 50 games Guentzel has 22 goals and 30 assists. He is second on the Penguins in goals and tied with Sidney Crosby in points as of the time of his injury.
What This Means
Losing Guentzel is a big blow to the Penguins. It’s first a huge loss for a team looking to try to get into the playoffs. Guentzel’s offensive production is going to be hard to replace. The team still has top players like Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, but they are walking on a tightrope right now. Meanwhile, with Guentzel being rumoured as a potential trade piece, this injury is unfortunate. With the anticipated timeline of his return, it may not be a deal breaker, but it certainly won’t help. Other General Managers may be a little more hesitant to pay a hefty price until there is some more clarity on Guentzel’s return. But the Penguins will need to march forward without the scoring winger in the interim.
Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
