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On March 26, for the first time in his NHL career, Jake Guentzel will play a game in Pittsburgh as a member of the opposing team.
The 29-year-old winger, who was traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7, will return to PPG Paints Arena with Carolina on Tuesday to face the team that drafted and developed him into the NHL player he is today.
“It’s obviously really exciting,” Guentzel told reporters on March 25. “Family is still there, so I’ll get to see them tonight. It’ll be nice to see some of the guys. But it’s just going to be a fun game and hopefully get the two points.”
Guentzel: Return to Pittsburgh is ‘Going to be Emotional’
Prior to being traded to Carolina, Guentzel had played his entire eight-season NHL career in Pittsburgh, where he was beloved by fans and teammates alike.
Selected by the Penguins in the third round (No. 77) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Guentzel had 466 points (219 goals, 247 assists) in 503 regular-season games for Pittsburgh. He also has 58 points (34 goals, 24 assists) in 58 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2017.
Guentzel is in the final season of a five-year, $30 million contract ($6 million average annual value) he signed with Pittsburgh on Dec. 27, 2018, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. His name had been brought up in trade rumors since February, when Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said he could be dealt in order to add youth to Pittsburgh’s roster, which was the oldest in the NHL this season on Opening Day (30.6).
“It’s tough,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said ahead of Guentzel’s first game back in Pittsburgh. “We already kind of talked about it and there’s going to be a lot of emotion there. It’s obviously a tough game to play for the player, no doubt about it. [Guentzel] had a great career there and did a lot of great things. It’s a special night.”
Guentzel will also be reunited with his wife, Natalie, and their son, Charlie, who remained in Pittsburgh after the trade.
“It’s going to be emotional,” Guentzel said. “It’s going to be fun. It’s a special place in our family’s hearts. It’ll be a cool experience… I think in warmup you’ll soak it in, it’s a new experience, but once the puck drops it’s just back to hockey and just playing, doing what you’ve been doing your whole life. It’s going to be different, but it’ll be fun.”
Guentzel, Hurricanes Seek 2 Critical Points as Playoffs Near
It’s safe to say Guentzel hasn’t wasted any time getting acclimated to his new team. He has 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in eight games for the Hurricanes, tied for the most by a Carolina skater during that span. His 10 assists, 46 shot attempts and +9 goal differential at 5-on-5 also rank first on the Hurricanes roster in the eight games that he has played with the team.
Guentzel has also found the scoresheet in six of eight games with Carolina. He has posted a team-high four multi-point outings since making his Hurricanes debut, including two three-point performances.
The Hurricanes (97 points) are just one point back from the New York Rangers for the top spot in a stacked Metropolitan Division. Ahead of Tuesday’s slate, the Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks are the only teams in the NHL that have more points in the standings than Carolina.
The Hurricanes have a 15-1-3 record in their last 19 games away from home, with an NHL-best .868 road points percentage over that span. They will look to pick up two more points on Tuesday against Pittsburgh as they look to leapfrog New York in the Metropolitan Division standings.
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