Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! There is a ton of growing buzz now that a champion has been crowned. With the fireworks set to begin, we now take a look at what teams are gearing up to make a big splash. Todays rumors swirl around the Vegas Golden Knights.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: Jeff Marek discusses Jake Guentzel and the Vegas Golden Knights
There may not be a team that makes a bigger splash than the Vegas Golden Knights. If there is the big name player out there, odds are that the Golden Knights are going to be in the mix. This past trade deadline, the team made big splash moves to help round out the roster. They brought in Noah Hanifin, who also signed a contract extension. Also, the club brought in Anthony Mantha and shocking the hockey world by adding Tomas Hertl.
With all these additions, the team is strapped financially and has little wiggle room with the salary cap. However, that does not shy them away from the bigger fish on the market. No fish is bigger right now than Jake Guentzel and will be the most sought out free agent come July 1. Marek wonders about Vegas being a fit and then looking into signing him.
Landing the Big Fish
The latest NHL Rumours are juicy, especially when it comes to Guentzel. Also, it has been reported that the Hurricanes are making a strong push to retain him. There is an offer of an eight year extension with an AAV of $8 million. Guentzel was exactly the type of player that the Hurricanes have been needing and keeping him makes all the sense in the world. As for the Golden Knights, adding Guentzel would be a great add.
Guentzel would make an immediate impact on the Golden Knights roster. He is a player that has shown he is more than capable of thriving without Sidney Crosby on his line. Also, he is a premiere goal scorer and an offensive threat. Over the course of his career, he has reached the 20 goal mark four times, 30 goal mark twice, and the 40 goal mark twice. He is the definition of consistency in that regard.
He is a player that can be plugged in on the power play and play in multiple situations. Also, Guentzel had the second best output of his career during the 2023-24 season, scoring 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games. While Guentzel would be a boost to the lineup, there’s reason to be cautious about it.
The Hurdles to Landing Guentzel
If the Golden Knights are to make a splash landing Guentzel, they’ll need to be aware. Yes they do need to fill the void left behind if Jonathan Marchessault does not return to the club. However, the price tag to land a player such as Guentzel is going to be high and one that the Golden Knights cannot take on. Although, they could move some contracts in order to make money work.
One thing that Jeff Marek points out is that Jack Eichel is two years away from needing a new contract. Eichel has been everything as advertised when they acquired the number one centre. He was also instrumental to their Stanley Cup Championship winning season. In the event they lock up Guentzel, they have to be aware with Eichel waiting in the wings.
There is alot that would have to go into locking up Guentzel, but the Golden Knights being in the mix shouldn’t shock anybody.
Main Photo: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
