PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Jaromir Jagr skates during warm ups after having his number retired and banner raised to the rafters before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 18, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that a shipment of Jaromír Jágr bobbleheads scheduled to be distributed to fans at Thursday night's game against the San Jose Sharks was stolen.
Penguins President of Business Operations Kevin Acklin commented on the unfortunate turn of events, telling the team's official website:
"We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft, and we are working closely with local and federal authorities on the investigation. While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromír Jágr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight's game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jágr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans."
Although the bobbleheads will not be in hand on Thursday, the Penguins announced that fans in attendance for the game at PPG Paints Arena will be given a voucher that they can redeem for the bobblehead at a later date.
As part of the team's statement on the matter, the Penguins divulged that the shipment was stolen after arriving in California. The organization subsequently alerted state and federal authorities, who are investigating the matter.
Jágr, 52, is one of the greatest players in NHL history.
He spent 24 seasons in the NHL with nine different teams, appearing in 1,733 regular-season games and recording 766 goals and 1,155 assists for 1,921 points.
Jágr ranks fourth on the NHL's all-time list in games played and goals, and fifth in assists. He is also second in points behind only the legendary Wayne Gretzky.
The Czech star's best seasons came in Pittsburgh, as he was a nine-time All-Star, five-time Art Ross Trophy winner, two-time Stanley Cup champion and one-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner in 11 seasons with the Pens.
Last month, Jágr made his return to Pittsburgh to have his iconic No. 68 jersey number retired. He also participated in the pregame skate with the team, and several current Penguins donned wigs to replicate Jágr's trademark mullet.
Jágr became only the third Penguins player to have his number retired, joining Mario Lemieux and Michel Brière.
It was a full-circle moment for Jágr who didn't leave the Penguins on the best of terms when they traded him to the Washington Capitals in 2001.
Now, Jágr and the Penguins are back in each other's good graces, and the organization was preparing to celebrate him once again on Thursday night.
While Jágr will still be in attendance and showered with love from Penguins fans, they will do it without their bobbleheads in tow.
Jake Guentzel Trade Leaves Penguins, Sidney Crosby at Crossroads
Adam Gretz
Mar 8, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 14: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on February 14, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Penguins were never going to win a Jake Guentzel trade at the deadline.
At least not in the short term. Probably not in the long term, either. It isn't because anybody was going to do anything wrong, but because sellers simply don't win deadline deals. Not with rentals, even if the rental you're trading is a top-line winger and an elite goal-scorer.
Contenders are not going to give up significant roster pieces. They're not going to part with top prospects or key young players for a few months of a player. If you get a first-round pick, it's probably going to be at the back end of the first-round where you might have a 50-50 chance of even getting somebody who becomes an NHL regular.
You don't rebuild or start rebuilds by dealing rentals.
So when viewed through that lens, the Penguins' return for Guentzel on Thursday night (Michael Bunting, three prospects, two conditional draft picks) shouldn't be too much of a surprise. If anything, they probably got more than most teams get for a rental in terms of the quantity of assets they received.
Here’s your deal:
To Carolina: Guentzel, Ty Smith
To Pittsburgh: Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, conditional 2024 1st, conditional 2024 5th.
If you wanted to quibble with anything, opting for a quantity-over-quality return probably hurt them in terms of finding a potential long-term fit or an impactful player. The bare minimum expectation for a trade involving a player of Guentzel's caliber and production would have been a guaranteed first-round pick, but in the end, general manager Kyle Dubas settled for more prospects.
Bunting is a serviceable player, but he's signed for two more years and doesn't move the needle in a meaningful direction. He's a guy who fills out your roster and might score 20 goals that you will quickly forget about. Yeah, he replaces Guentzel's roster spot and gives them an NHL player, but the drop-off in talent and productivity is immense.
If even one of the three prospects eventually becomes a regular on a good Penguins team, you probably did better than expected. But we're years away from ever knowing that.
Michael Bunting.
In the meantime, it does leave the Penguins and their captain, Sidney Crosby, at something of a crossroads in where they go next.
While it's easy to look at the Penguins' situation—heading toward a second consecutive non-playoff season and Crosby's preferred winger being traded for some magic beans—and wonder if Crosby might look for an avenue out of town soon, there's nothing to indicate that will happen.
Crosby has remained adamant that his long-term plans haven't changed, and that the Guentzel situation wasn't going to change them. I think there is a better chance that on July 1 he has a new contract extension already in place than there is of him ever playing in another uniform. It's fun to talk about and speculate. It's also not likely.
"I don't know. It's probably a better question for them."
Sidney Crosby when asked about the message management sent by trading Jake Guentzel 🎙️
But you can't ignore the reality of the situation for the Penguins and the uncertainty of what's ahead.
That is what makes the Guentzel trade—and return—so hard to figure out. Honestly, it's what makes the entire first year of the Dubas experience hard to figure out. There has been nothing but mixed messages, head-scratching moves and curious comments that don't align with one another.
There is a mindset in Pittsburgh that Dubas wasn't brought in to turn the Penguins around in the short term, but that he was brought in to orchestrate a long-term rebuild and usher in a new era.
Nothing that he has done so far would seem to align with that belief.
Nearly every player he has acquired so far has been a player either over the age of 30 or soon-to-be over the age of 30 and also signed to a multi-year contract.
Kyle Dubas.
Reilly Smith was 32 and signed for two more years.
Erik Karlsson was 33 and signed for four more years.
Noel Acciari, Lars Eller and Matt Nieto were all over the age of 30 and signed to multi-year deals to help solidify a defensively minded bottom six.
Ryan Graves was 28 and signed for six years. He is under contract longer than any player currently on the roster.
Even Bunting, one of the pieces in the Guentzel trade, is going to be 29 next season and is also signed for multiple years.
Those are not exactly rebuilding moves. The reason you trade for Karlsson and his contract is because you believe you can win right now. That's a "quick turnaround" kind of move. All of those moves are.
There is also nothing wrong with that mindset. Even though they missed the playoffs a year ago, there was good reason to think the Penguins could rebound with a strong offseason, especially given how high of a level their core players (Crosby, Guentzel, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and even Bryan Rust) were still playing at. As long as you have players like that, you never want to throw in the towel.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
The Penguins didn't give up. But it also didn't work. And all of it also comes with the backdrop of Dubas repeatedly saying that the team needs to get younger. Sure, the Guentzel trade brought in some prospects, but that deal only happened out of necessity and having their hands forced.
As long as Crosby remains in Pittsburgh—and the assumption here, again, is that he will—it is hard to see them going with a full-scale rebuild. Not only because Crosby is still a top-five player in the league, but also because they have shown no sign of doing that. The Guentzel trade doesn't exactly change that.
If they were going full-scale rebuild they would have wanted more draft picks and probably tried to lock in a first-rounder.
They wouldn't have gone for high-floor but low-ceiling prospects who might be closer to NHL-ready, but lacking in upside.
There are more changes likely ahead, especially over the next few months. The type of players the Penguins acquire, both on Friday and in the offseason, will give us a clearer window on what direction they are going to go in.
NHL Rumors: Jake Guentzel Traded to Hurricanes; Penguins Receive Michael Bunting
Mar 7, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 11: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) smiles before the face-off during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks on January 11, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jake Guentzel's time with the Pittsburgh Penguins appears to be over.
The team is reportedly finalizing a trade that would send him to the Carolina Hurricanes for Michael Bunting and other assets, Greg Wyshynski of ESPN reported:
Breaking: The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to complete a trade for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel on Thursday night, a source told @wyshynski.
Carolina forward Michael Bunting is expected to be part of the package going back to Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/mIzoZgL97H
Hearing that the Hurricanes and Penguins are very close to a Guentzel trade. But still some details to work through. Bunting is part of the package. Both teams are playing tonight which also may complicate timing to some degree. But all signs point to Guentzel going to Carolina. https://t.co/RipdQAk4Js
Sense I get is that the Jake Guentzel trade to @Canes will happen, but we might not get finality on it until after Carolina and @penguins are done with their games tonight.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported on Feb. 23 that Pittsburgh's asking price for Guentzel was "multiple first-round picks (or a first-round pick and equivalent in top prospects or roster players)."
Guentzel had been included in numerous trade rumors leading up to NHL's March 8 trade deadline with the Penguins struggling to contend for a playoff spot. They sit sixthin the Metropolitan Division with a 24-28-8 record.
Guentzel is also on an expiring contract and will become a free agent after the 2023-24 campaign, making him expendable.
The 29-year-old had spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Penguins, which selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft, and he helped the franchise capture a Stanley Cup in 2017.
Guentzel had been one of the team's most impactful players, notching 219 goals and 247 assists for 466 points in 503 games, and the Penguins will greatly miss his production moving forward despite a lineup that includes Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
The American has notched 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 50 games this season. However, he is on injured reserve and it's unclear when he'll suit up for his new team.
The Hurricanes have been linked to Guentzel since Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman listed the franchise as a potential suitor on Feb. 24.
Carolina has seemingly always been a step behind in the playoff race, but adding Guentzel to the lineup could help the franchise better contend for a title and make a run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Guentzel joins a talented lineup highlighted by Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Brent Burns and Martin Necas.
The Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division with a 36-19-6 record and are still in contention for the top spot in the division alongside the New York Rangers.
NHL Rumors: Jake Guentzel Trade 'Getting Close' Amid Penguins-Hurricanes Buzz
Mar 7, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 14: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) skates during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on February 14, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jake Guentzel could be staying in the Metropolitan Division even if the Pittsburgh Penguins trade him.
Carolina Hurricanes winger Michael Bunting was scratched Thursday night for "trade-related reasons," according to the team.
Bunting's scratch could be related to a Hurricanes trade for Guentzel, according to Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Michael Bunting is scratched tonight for Carolina. There is word he will be traded to Pittsburgh as part of a deal for Jake Guentzel
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas previously signed Bunting as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Hurricanes aren't the only ones looking to trade for the Penguins winger. The New York Rangers are also "very in on Guentzel talks," according to USA Today's Vince Z. Mercogliano.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers are also reportedly interested in Guentzel, per Mercogliano and David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Pagnotta added that the Guentzel trade is "getting close."
In other trade buzz, I'm still hearing #NYR are very in on Guentzel talks. Sounds like CAR and VGK could be top competition.
Multiple sources wondered if Drury can get it done without using a top prospect. Perreault still sounds like a hard no, but could he soften on Othmann?
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) March 7, 2024
Jake Guentzel trade discussions are intensifying. While the #LetsGoPens keep working at it, I'm told it's "getting close." At this hour, the Rangers, Golden Knights, Canucks, Panthers & Hurricanes are still in the mix, per source.
Before missing the Penguins' last 10 games with an upper body injury, Guentzel was playing at a point-per-game pace with 22 goals and 30 assists in 50 contests.
Guentzel is in the final year of an expiring $6 million AAV contract, and is likely to get a raise on his next deal. Any trade for him must be completed before 3 p.m. ET Friday.
Guentzel returned to Penguins practice in a full-contact jersey Thursday for the first time since suffering an injury during a Valentine's Day loss to the Florida Panthers.
That means whoever keeps him is likely to have him available for a late-season push to the playoffs. That could be a crucial boost for teams like the Rangers, Hurricanes and Golden Knights, which each sit in a playoff spot heading into the trade deadline.
The Penguins, meanwhile, head into Thursday eight points and two teams back of the last Wild Card spot in the East.
Jake Guentzel has rejoined Penguins morning skate in a ‘regular’ contact jersey 👀
The Penguins are hoping for a quick turnaround to take advantage of the last season of Sidney Crosby's current contract in 2024-25, so they're seeking prospects over draft picks in the trade, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
That could be a problem for the Rangers' likelihood of working out a deal with Dubas.
The Rangers are wiling to give up a first-round pick for 2025 in a trade, but are hesitant to offer top forward prospects Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan (h/t Yahoo Sports.)
Perreault, a 2023 first-round pick, likely remains a "hard no," according to Mercogliano.
Mercogliano speculated, however, that Rangers general manager Chris Drury might be willing to consider a deal involving Othmann, who has 36 points in 48 games with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack this season.
Guentzel, who has spent the majority of his eight-season NHL career on the Penguins' top line alongside Crosby, has 219 goals and 466 points in 503 career games.
Rangers Must Trade for Jake Guentzel to Boost Stanley Cup Hopes Amid NHL Trade Rumors
Erik Beaston
Mar 7, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 06: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 6, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender this season and currently sit third in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins.
They are also in need of right-wing help, a position the team must upgrade to see their dreams and aspirations become a reality.
The team knows this and has expressed "serious interest" in trading for Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel, Vincent Mercogliano of the Westchester Journal News reported.
The only problem? An astronomical asking price from the Penguins, who are seeking "a first-round pick and multiple young assets." The Pens are seeking quality over quantity, but have made it clear in their dealings that they are looking to get younger amid ranking as the oldest team in the NHL this season with an average age of 30.8.
The Rangers should help them do so, especially considering what Guentzel brings to the table.
The winger can play on the right side and before an injury that landed him on the long-term injured reserve, had tallied 52 (22 goals, 30 assists) points in 50 games. Guentzel reportedly suffered a fractured finger, per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, and is eligible to return two days after the March 8 trade deadline.
Assuming he is healthy and there are no long-term effects of the injury, Guentzel would likely pay immediate dividends for a team that currently ranks 10th in scoring with 3.31 goals per game.
The haul to get Guentzel will not be easy to stomach, with the Rangers likely having to give up a rostered player or prospect, and a first-round draft pick. On the heels of a trade for Seattle defenseman Alex Wennberg, the team still has "first-round picks this year and next, plus a decent crop of mid-level prospects," according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic.
The question will be whether the team can make the deal from a financial standpoint.
Staple wrote that the team benefited from Seattle retaining some of Wennberg's salary, and conceivably has north of $3 million in space. Guentzel's current cap hit is for double that, meaning the team would likely have to include players in the deal to free up space or find a third partner to help facilitate the deal.
Is it a headache from that standpoint? Absolutely, but the Rangers have an opportunity to compete for a championship that they have not hoisted in 30 years.
Not making every move they possibly can to capitalize on momentum and their place near the top of the conference by bringing in a player that will not only enhance their offensive output but can force turnovers and hunt down pucks.
Guentzel is a potential difference-maker, the sort of player the most serious teams bring in to help increase the odds of a championship push.
And he should absolutely be a Ranger by the deadline Friday or the team will have missed out on an opportunity to make a statement to the rest of the NHL.
Golden Knights Would Be Best Fit for Penguins' Jake Guentzel amid NHL Trade Rumors
Mar 5, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 20: Jake Guentzel #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on January 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jake Guentzel has never played for an NHL team other than the Pittsburgh Penguins. His entire eight-year career has been spent with the franchise that selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft.
That might change before Friday at 3 p.m. ET, which is the NHL trade deadline for the 2023-24 season.
According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, it's believed the Penguins have a "very clear sense" of what they need to do before the deadline, and the assumption is they'll be sellers. Pittsburgh is "exploring all options" in order to "bolster the club for the future," per LeBrun.
If the Pens decide they want to move Guentzel, they shouldn't have trouble finding a trade partner. LeBrun reported there "six-plus legit suitors," a group that includes both the Vancouver Canucks and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Guentzel would bolster the offense of any NHL team. But the Golden Knights may be the Stanley Cup contender that could use the 29-year-old center the most, which is why Vegas is the best fit.
It wouldn't be a long-term move. Guentzel is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and the Golden Knights likely won't have the cap space to re-sign him. However, they could go on a deep playoff run and possibly even win a second straight Stanley Cup if they upgrade their offense.
Vegas is without captain Mark Stone for at least the rest of the regular season. The 31-year-old is an integral part of the team's core, so it hurts the Golden Knights to not have him in the lineup.
Jack Eichel returned from a knee injury on Monday, when Vegas lost 6-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He'll provide a boost, but the Golden Knights need to get going after losing six of their past seven games and eight of their past 10.
Guentzel is having another stellar season in Pittsburgh. He has tallied 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 50 games. After recording 84 points in 2021-22 and 73 in 2022-23, he should finish with a big total again this year.
Vegas has to be enticed by the idea of pairing Guentzel with Eichel to form a potent offensive duo for the rest of this season. A move like that could help the Golden Knights have more postseason success.
Even though Guentzel would likely be a rental, the cost could be high. But it could be well worth it for Vegas to pay up if it believes he can help lead it to another Cup.
The Golden Knights may have to outbid numerous other teams, considering the recent rumors of the high interest in Guentzel. And they shouldn't completely mortgage the future to pull off a trade. But they should be aggressive, as it would make a ton of sense for Guentzel to go to Vegas.
Penguins Right to Look to Build for Future amid Jake Guentzel, NHL Trade Rumors
Erik Beaston
Mar 4, 2024
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 31: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) looks on during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders on December 31, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Penguins want to get younger and they want to do it now, even if it means giving up a star left winger in Jake Guentzel.
"We need to get younger. We have a lot of guys in their 30s signed. Some of them are the best players in the history of the franchise. We have to have a way to continue to have those solid veteran guys but continue to get younger at the same time," team general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters.
Guentzel, 29, has 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games and is the second-most potent scorer for Pittsburgh. He is also on long-term injured reserve with what's speculated to be a fractured finger, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, but he will be eligible to return two days after Friday's trade deadline.
The veteran understands the nature of the business, but that does not necessarily make it easier to hear his name mentioned in trade discussions.
"Don't get me wrong, it's a hard part of the business—like, you kind of grow up with an organization, and then you don't know what's next. That's not fun for anyone," he told Rob Rossi of The Athletic
Regardless of how difficult it may be, the Penguins are right to want to get younger. Pittsburgh is the oldest team by average age at 30.8 years old. Its core players are all closer to 40, too, with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang at 36 and Evgeni Malkin at 37.
Add the fact that prized trade acquisition Erik Karlsson is 33, and you have a team that is long in the tooth in a sport that is increasingly a young man's game.
The Penguins have not done themselves any favors in their pursuit of youth with their asking price for Guentzel, though. NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman said on SportsNet's Hockey Night in Canada that Pittsburgh prefers prospects to picks. "From what I understand, Pittsburgh has told teams they are more interested in two prospects as opposed to a prospect and a first-rounder."
Emily Kaplan of ESPN provided further insight, writing, "I've heard the asking price on Guentzel is multiple first-round picks (or a first-round pick and equivalent in top prospects or roster players)."
She continued, "One rival executive said 'the Guentzel asking price is ridiculous.'"
Guentzel is a top-tier trade target, a player who can instantly elevate the offense of any playoff contender, but the Pens may very well be pricing themselves out of the game.
Sure, they want to make certain they are receiving an adequate return for a player of his caliber, but devising an asking price that will be scoffed at only makes the team look less than serious in its attempt to recoup youth in return for the winger.
It does not help the Penguins attain their goal of getting younger, which is something that, if it is not accomplished soon, could put the organization in an even tougher position.
The Penguins are not completely out of contention, so the organization should reevaluate its asking price, make it a little more realistic and reasonable, and focus on a push for the postseason before the team becomes so irrelevant in Stanley Cup conversations that Crosby, Malkin and Letang become the next names bantered about in trade discussions.
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