Jake Guentzel Replacement Already On Penguins Roster
Replacing Jake Guentzel may already be crossed off the Pittsburgh Penguins to-do list.
After spending his first eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jake Guentzel returns to PPG Paints Arena as a visitor for the first time this week. Meanwhile, the Penguins will hope to find the next "Jake Guentzel" as they look to compete for the postseason next year.
The Penguins could theoretically bring the real Guentzel back in the offseason when he hits free agency. However, the odds of a return are slim to none, considering the lack of positive movement towards an extension before the trade to Carolina.
Fortunately, the Penguins may already have an heir to Guentzel's position as the team's top-scoring winger, Bryan Rust.
Rust has had multiple stints on injured reserve this season, but when healthy has been one of the best forwards in the Penguins lineup. The ten-year NHL veteran has 42 points (22G-20A) in 50 games this season and leads the Penguins in shooting percentage (14.1%).
At 31 years old, Rust won't be a long-term solution atop the Penguins lineup, but his scoring consistency and finishing ability make him their best option the next few seasons. This season is the fifth consecutive that Rust has scored 20 or more goals, with two of them shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the NHL, opportunity and deployment are everything. For example, Jared McCann became a 40-goal scorer one year after transitioning from a bottom-six winger on the Penguins into a top-line and top power play option for the Seattle Kraken.
Rust has a proven track record of consistent goal-scoring in the NHL, but pairing him exclusively with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins top power play may allow him to reach new highs in 2024-25.
That small change could make Rust the answer to the absence of Guentzel, but that still leaves a hole in the Penguins top six. However, finding a cost-efficient 20-goal scorer will be easier than looking for a 35-goal scoring winger on the open or trade markets.
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