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It took 62 seconds for Jake Guentzel to score his first NHL goal in his first NHL game.
Suffice to say, his impact in Pittsburgh will last considerably longer.
Like forever.
Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, an inevitability that officially marks the end of an era for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Now, they will get younger, and they’ll do so, in part, because of this deal. It’s ironic because Guentzel was the last young, homegrown member of the organization to make a profound impact.
And what an impact it was.
Sidney Crosby was the deserving winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2017, but if Guentzel had been voted the winner, it wouldn’t have been an outrage. Then a rookie, Guentzel scored 13 goals that magical spring. The 2017 team was a marvel because it won the Stanley Cup without Kris Letang and during a time when it was utterly out of gas. Those Penguins needed young legs from somewhere, and Guentzel delivered.
GO DEEPER
Sidney Crosby reflects on Jake Guentzel trade: ‘He’s a great teammate, a friend’
His classic Easter Sunday hat trick in Columbus, the final tally coming in overtime, gave the Penguins a victory in Game 3 of the opening-round series.
Scoreless in the second period in Game 7 against Washington, it was Guentzel who set up Bryan Rust for the winning goal in Washington.
Then, there was Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Nashville. The Penguins raced to a 3-0 lead, then didn’t record a shot for 37 minutes as the Predators finally evened the score while exerting complete control. A stunning meltdown was almost complete.
Then, Guentzel swooped down the right wing and unleashed a shot, and Pekka Rinne never recovered.
He scored another winner 48 hours later in Game 2.
One of the biggest remaining trade chips is off the board.
Jake Guentzel is heading to Carolina, per @PierreVLeBrun and @reporterchris.
Who won the deal? pic.twitter.com/flfq5HHRXj
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 8, 2024
Guentzel leaves Pittsburgh as one of the great big-game performers in city history, let alone Penguins history. Consider that he ranks ninth in NHL history in goals per playoff game.
When the Penguins last won a playoff series, back in 2018 against the Flyers, Guentzel put on a show for the ages. He recorded four goals in the series-clinching victory in Philadelphia, all the while endearing himself to Penguins fans not just because of his offensive eruption, but also his mouth. Guentzel, who can be almost painfully quiet at times, doesn’t mind running his mouth on the ice, particularly when the Flyers are his victim.
Guentzel isn’t built like a hockey player, his small frame looking out of place in a league full of giants, so his hockey mind is what makes him special.
“I remember the first time I saw him,” Kris Letang said. “I wasn’t overly impressed. Then, I went on the ice with him for the first time, and I was like, ‘Whoa, this guy always knows where to go. He’s different.’”
Guentzel’s understanding of the game impressed even the biggest of names.
Crosby took to him immediately, acknowledging that he was one of the smartest players he ever skated with.
“I did play with (Marian) Hossa, remember,” Crosby said, when attempting to rank his all-time smartest linemates.
But then he relented.
“Jake,” Crosby said, “I think he’s just special.”
Guentzel was never equipped with the most powerful shot, nor the largest body. His speed isn’t particularly noteworthy. If you were building him in a video game, he wouldn’t blow you away.
But Guentzel’s mental aptitude has always set him apart, and his natural telepathy with Crosby was a marvel.
So was his consistency.
Guentzel’s points per game per season with the Penguins:
| Season | Points per game |
|---|---|
|
2016-17 |
0.83 |
|
2017-18 |
0.59 |
|
2018-19 |
0.93 |
|
2019-20 |
1.1 |
|
2020-21 |
1.02 |
|
2021-22 |
1.11 |
|
2022-23 |
0.94 |
|
2023-24 |
1.04 |
Most goal-scorers are streaky, but not Guentzel. He would score a goal once every two or three games, like clockwork.
In his 20s, Guentzel accumulated 219 goals with the Penguins.
With his considerable on-ice contributions noted, Guentzel also was a positive figure away from the ice.
One of the privileges of being a reporter is that we sometimes get to witness moments fans don’t see. Guentzel’s foundation, the Hearts of Gold program, invites children with congenital heart defects and other heart conditions to watch a game at PPG Paints Arena. Afterward, the children get to enjoy a meet and greet with Guentzel.
After every home game, the media departs the locker room after conducting postgame interviews and walks to coach Mike Sullivan’s news conference room.
And after every home game, the media always walks past Guentzel, who unfailingly goes out of his way to spend time with Hearts of Gold guests and their families. There is nothing phony about him.
When Guentzel arrived in Pittsburgh, the Penguins showcased a gallery of hockey’s biggest names: Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Letang, Phil Kessel and Marc-Andre Fleury among them. From the moment Guentzel arrived, he was having lunch at the cool kids’ table. The stars loved him immediately, on and off the ice. Along the way, he became a very large name in his own right.
My indelible image of Guentzel came this season.
Fleury and the Minnesota Wild were in town, and, an hour after the game, Guentzel was walking around the event level of PPG Paints Arena with Charlie, his then-16-month-old son.
Like his dad, Charlie appeared pretty precocious, motoring around the arena. The proud papa walked stride in stride with him, looking on with a smile as Charlie wore his No. 59 jersey.
There was something precious and something sad about it. In talking with Guentzel, it’s apparent he had zero interest in leaving Pittsburgh and that he wanted Charlie to spend a big chunk of his childhood in Pittsburgh.
Guentzel didn’t want to leave. He was the victim of age. Had he been a few years older, he probably would have been given the farewell tour that Crosby, Malkin and Letang will receive.
Had Guentzel been a few years younger, the Penguins likely would have been more comfortable dishing out a new contract.
At 29, however, Guentzel found himself right in the messy middle — still great, but also capable of fetching multiple assets in return.
Charlie is too young to remember his dad playing in Pittsburgh. His memories will be of Guentzel skating elsewhere, which is sad, but also a brutal illustration of professional sports.
Someday, though, he will learn about what his dad accomplished in Pittsburgh and will be impressed.
On and off the ice, Guentzel was the real deal, the last homegrown great of an era.
He will be missed.
(Photo of Guentzel in 2017: Frederick Breedon / Getty Images)
