5 Offseason Landing Spots for Hurricanes Forward Jake Guentzel
The Carolina Hurricanes stepped out of their comfort zone at this year's trade deadline by going all-in for a big-time rental in an effort to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference.
That rental was Jake Guentzel, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins to give them the type of top-line goal-scoring presence they have long needed.
For the most part, the 29-year-old generated exactly what the Hurricanes wanted.
He scored 12 goals with 22 assists for 34 total points in 28 total games (regular season and playoffs) after the trade, and seemed to form a natural and immediate chemistry with top center Sebastian Aho.
It still wasn't enough for the Hurricanes, though, as they were eliminated by the New York Rangers in Game 6 of their second-round series on Thursday night after losing a 3-1 third-period lead.
With the Hurricanes eliminated again, they now enter an uncertain offseason where Guentzel is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Given his career production and consistent postseason production, he is going to be one of the top players available this summer. Whether it is in Carolina or somewhere else, he has a chance to cash in with a huge pay day.
So, let's take a look at some potential landing spots for him as he prepares to enter the offseason.
Carolina Hurricanes
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Sometimes the ideal place is where you already are, and Guentzel returning to Carolina would be an ideal fit.
For one, he has already shown he is a great fit there and has been outstanding in his limited time with the team. He has found an immediate chemistry with Sebastian Aho and gives the Hurricanes the exact type of presence they need in their lineup.
You know Carolina is going to win the territorial game on most nights. You know it's going to outshoot teams and control possession. But the 'Canes do not always turn that into offense, especially come playoff time.
Guentzel is a proven 40-goal scorer and one of the best postseason performers in the league.
If he is happy there and wants to stay, Carolina would be wise to lock him up with a new contract before he can even test the open market.
His production in Carolina averaged out to a 40-goal and 108-point pace over 82 games. That is higher than his production in Pittsburgh where he spent most of his time playing alongside Sidney Crosby.
Toronto Maple Leafs
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Let's assume, hypothetically, that Toronto actually makes a bold move to its core this offseason.
And let's assume that bold move involves them trading winger Mitch Marner.
That is not only going to create some significant salary-cap space on its roster, but it's also going to produce a massive need on its top lines.
Guentzel would be an ideal fit to fill that. Not only because he is one of the best wingers in the league, but also because he might be the type of player the Maple Leafs need to finally get over the hump in the playoffs.
Toronto's biggest downfall in recent playoff losses has not always been goaltending or defense. It's sometimes been a lack of offense and players who hit their best when the lights shine brightest.
Guentzel not only brings championship experience, but his goals and points-per-game averages are also higher in the postseason for his career than they are in the regular season.
In his regular-season career, he averages 0.44 goals and 0.94 points per game.
In his playoff career, he averages 0.55 goals per game 1.00 points per game.
Vegas Golden Knights
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The reality here is that if there is a top-tier free agent available or a potential star name by trade, you can be sure the Vegas Golden Knights are going to work their way into trying to acquire them.
So, they should be considered a potential landing spot for Guentzel.
Aside from their constant desire to go after stars and build the best team possible, there is also a real possibility they will have to fill a top-line winger role if they are unable to re-sign Jonathan Marchessault.
The salary-cap situation would complicate things here, but that has never been a hurdle too big to clear for the Golden Knights.
There are always ways around that, whether it be more LTIR usage or trades.
The presence of both Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl down the middle could make somebody like William Karlsson expendable in a potential cap-clearing move (and it is something they should consider, as discussed previously).
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Pittsburgh Penguins
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This is probably a long shot, but it is at least worth discussing given the history involved.
Guentzel spent the first six-and-a-half years of his career with the Penguins, where he won a Stanley Cup , became a star and was a key part of their core.
Crosby loved playing next to him, and the Penguins are probably going to be looking for ways to make sure the 36-year-old stays happy as he enters the final year of his contract.
Those are the reasons why it makes sense.
The counterpoint to all of that is, even with all of those things being the case, the Penguins did not really show much interest in re-signing Guentzel to a contract extension when they had the chance and never really came close to an agreement.
It is also extremely rare for a team to trade a player as a rental and then re-sign them in free agency.
In other words, if it was going to happen by now, it probably already would have. But it's something to keep an eye on.
Nashville Predators
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Nashville is going to be a fascinating team to watch this offseason, so we should mention it as a potential under-the-radar destination here.
The Predators were better than expected during the regular season, made the playoffs and still have a pretty good veteran core of players in their lineup. Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi are both stars, and they hit two home runs in free agency this past offseason with Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.
They are in a position to maybe take an even bigger swing this offseason with nearly $20 million in salary-cap space at their disposal. And that is before any other trades, including a potential deal involving veteran goalie Juuse Saros.
All of that could put them in a position to take a big free-agency swing.
As good as some of their top-tier players are, they could still use another impact player at forward and Guentzel would certainly qualify there.
The question would be whether they think they are close enough to a Stanley Cup to take that sort of swing. But the Preds have a need for a player like him, and they should have the salary-cap space to make it work.
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