Jake Guentzel is one of the best Pittsburgh Penguins goal scorers and has what it takes to play on the international stage.

Ever since it was announced that the NHL and NHLPA have started conversations about an international competition in 2025, a certain Pittsburgh Penguins’ forward has been noticeably absent from certain predictions.

People have already started putting together roster predictions for the 2025 competition and Penguins’ forward Jake Guentzel’s role with Team USA doesn’t seem to be guaranteed.

Ever since breaking into the league in 2016-17, Guentzel has been one of the most underrated goal scorers in the NHL.

A pair of 40-goals seasons and a career-high 84 points in 2021-22 should be Guentzel in the conversation as an elite player in the NHL.

Yet, he continues to be under appreciated and looked over when it comes to his standing in the league.

Team USA will arguably be one of the most stacked lineups in whatever competition the NHL decides to put on in 2025, but that doesn’t mean Guentzel should be left off the roster.

Auston Matthews, the Tkachuk brothers, and Jack Eichel will highlight Team USA, but Guentzel could easily slide in as a third or fourth line winger.

Given the depth that Team USA’s forward group would bring, Guetnzel could easily line up next to Eichel or Tage Thompson in 2025.

Following the 2025 tournament, the main goal is to send NHL players back to the Olympics in 2026, which is exactly where Guetnzel should follow on Team USA.

The United States of America is sitting on one of the most talented groups of hockey players the country has ever seen, and Guentzel deserves to be in that crop.

The upcoming 2023-24 season will be important for Guentzel to prove his worth, but once he returns from injury there is a slim chance of disappointment.

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