Jake Guentzel Should Be Extended by the Penguins This Offseason
Once the Pittsburgh Penguins get new management, they should make an early decision with Jake Guentzel.
His contract goes for another season, but it would be smart for the Pittsburgh Penguins to commit to Jake Guentzel sooner rather than later.
The Penguins are in a weird spot and no contract talks or player movement can occur while Fenway Sports Group (FSG) looks for a new management group.
Once FSG finds their staff, however, early on the agenda should be locking up Guentzel to a new contract a year in advance of is current deal ending.
It’s no secret that Guentzel is usually one of the most underrated goal scorers in the NHL, even in a self proclaimed ‘down year’ he still led the Penguins with 36 goals.
Guentzel also added on 37 assists for 73 points which is a draw back from last season and his first time under a point per game in four years, but everyone on the Penguins struggled.
There shouldn’t be any doubt that the Penguins want to keep Guentzel around as long as possible, and getting out in front of a new contract now will prove to be more beneficial for the team than waiting a year.
Without that extra year of game play, a new managerial staff can make an assessment on Guentzel’s ‘down year.’
That should go a long way in keeping the cap hit as team friendly as possible, especially as Guentzel approaches 30-years-old.
When the puck drops on the 2023-24 season, Guentzel will be 29 and looking to bounce back in a big way.
It’s well known how capable he is at scoring goals, there were genuine predictions that said he could pot 50 this past season.
If he enters the final year of his deal without a new deal and something to prove, the dollar amount will only increase further.
Guentzel is due for a raise, there’s no doubt, he currently makes $6 million against the cap, but if he pops off for that illustrious 50-goal season, who’s to say he couldn’t ask for north of $9 million?
With the Penguins’ cap situation, every dollar saved will be beneficial, and given how the past few seasons have gone, you can’t bank on the salary cap getting a dramatic increase.
The ideal situation for the Penguins is getting Guentzel a new deal as soon as possible before he becomes too expensive at an older age.
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