Jake Guentzel's Legacy Will Last Forever With Penguins

With the trading of Jake Guentzel, the Pittsburgh Penguins are now officially removed from their Stanley Cup contending days for the foreseeable future. After losing to the Washington Capitals, the Penguins announced they dealt Guentzel and Ty Smith to the Carolina Hurricanes for Michael Bunting, conditional draft picks, and multiple prospects.

In 503 games with the Penguins, Guentzel proved to be one of the most accomplished Penguins of the salary cap era. Not only that, but he also leaves behind a firmly cemented legacy as Sidney Crosby's preeminent winger.

A True Elite Talent

No other winger achieved more individually or won more alongside Crosby. After bursting onto the scene before the Penguins’ Cup run in 2017, Guentzel has been one of the league’s most under-appreciated scorers. Nearly a decade later, and Guentzel has scored more than any other winger playing alongside Crosby. He has seven straight 20+ goal seasons, has surpassed the 30-goal mark three times, and has registered 40 or more twice.

But where Guentzel left his mark was in the postseason. He nearly re-wrote the NHL records books during his first playoff run when he registered the second most goals in a postseason by a rookie with 13. The all-time record still belongs to Dino Ciccarelli, who scored 14 in 1981. Guentzel's game-winning goal in Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final will go down as the moment the collective hockey world realized the Penguins were going back-to-back.

Even as the team floundered and lost playoff steam following their championship runs, Guentzel’s play never dropped off in the largest moments. He registered at least a goal in every playoff series he’s been in. In the team’s most recent postseason appearance in 2022, Jake led the team with eight goals during their first-round defeat against the New York Rangers.

Incredible Player, Better Human

In these types of moves, the human behind the player is often lost in the shuffle. Guentzel was a gold standard for humans during his time in Pittsburgh. He was actively involved in the team’s community outreach, joining the team on trips to UPMC Children’s Hospital or Thanksgiving Day service trips.

Community impact? He also started a program that uplifts and celebrates children with congenital heart failure. In addition, the charity “Guentzel’s Hearts of Gold” provided financial support to organizations like Children’s Hospital and Jameson’s Army.

Last but certainly not least are the sweet discounted treats available to Penguins fans due to his scoring. In 2018, the Milkshake Factory named their newest milkshake after Guentzel, “Jake’s Shake.” To top it off (pun intended), the shake would be half-off the day after he scored a goal. It became a tradition and a consistent source of excitement for the Penguins faithful. Now, who will the Milkshake Factory name their next concoction after?

The Penguins will be a different team, both on the ice and in the locker room, without Guentzel. He was one of those personalities that everyone could root for and hope for the best.

Now a member of the Hurricanes, Guentzel has a genuine chance of securing his second career Stanley Cup.