Jake Guentzel Injury Could Mean End for Penguins
Everything only gets tougher for the Pittsburgh Penguins without Jake Guentzel.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered an ugly loss to the Florida Panthers, pushing them further out of the playoff race, but things might quickly go from bad to worse. Forward Jake Guentzel did not finish the contest after taking a beating from Panthers’ defenseman Niko Mikkola.
Following the game, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan stated that Guentzel was being evaluated for an upper-body injury, which was his only update. It’s unlikely more information regarding Guentzel comes out until just before puck drop against the Chicago Blackhawks, but if the news is negative, that might be the end of the road for the Penguins.
After losing to the Panthers, the Penguins sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division with seven points separating them from the second wild card spot. They still have games in hand, but they’ve failed to come up clutch in multiple situations with those opportunities.
Guentzel is one of the Penguins' only actual performers this year behind Sidney Crosby, the goaltending, and Kris Letang. Without Guentzel in the lineup, it may as well spell the end for the playoff hunt.
Not only is Guentzel one of the Penguins’ top performers, but he’s also one of the biggest names possibly on the trade block. An injury that holds him out long-term, all but sets in stone that he won’t be moved before the deadline. If the Penguins are out and setting up to retool for next season, they’ll need Guentzel around to be a key trade piece.
The extent of Guentzel’s injury will likely determine how the rest of the season goes for the Penguins. If he’s fine and won’t miss any time, the Penguins still have some time to get hot and go on a run. If he’s hurt short-term, the season is likely over, but a trade involving Guentzel may still be possible. If he’s out long-term, the season is over, and any shot of a deal goes out the window.
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