What do you think the Pens will do with Jake by the trade deadline

[E-Ramone]

This isn’t meant to be insulting to my fellow Pens fans on here, but if we trade Jake to a contender at the deadline, shouldn’t we expect to not get any top players back? I mean, the other team is trying to load up on talent for a cup run and not swap established roster players, right? I could see getting picks and prospects back, but I don’t think we should expect to get a top six forward or something like that back, I guess.

[Maestro]

So, reading Canucks article on the Athletic today, they list Lekkerimaki as an untouchable (along with RHD Tom Willander). Said there's no way they'd move either of these guys for a rental. They listed Konecny (who has term after this year) as one possibility where they could include one of those guys.

They also had Garland in their untouchable category, saying he has turned things around and been a major contributor to the success of the 3rd line.

2024 1st, Kuzmenko, and Hoglander/Raty (who writers considered 3rd best VAN prospect) sounds more likely for Guentzel, which doesn't make me jump at the trade as much.

I'd offer 80 over 8 and if that isn't signed I'd do the deal.

[FLPensFan]

This isn’t meant to be insulting to my fellow Pens fans on here, but if we trade Jake to a contender at the deadline, shouldn’t we expect to not get any top players back? I mean, the other team is trying to load up on talent for a cup run and not swap established roster players, right? I could see getting picks and prospects back, but I don’t think we should expect to get a top six forward or something like that back, I guess.

In most all cases, you are correct...playoff bound teams don't give up players on their roster in deadline deals. But there are exceptions...where cap maneuvers are necessary, where there is already a desire to ship out a player, or maybe a player is injured for the season, so the acquiring team can afford to part with said player.

The 3 examples I have given:

1) Vancouver with Kuzmenko (been a healthy scratch, way off pace of the 39 goals he scored last year).

2) Carolina with Bunting (he's not bad, but there were rumors Dubas wanted to reacquire him; I don't think he's hit the same levels of production this year in Carolina, so moving out Guentzel would be an upgrade).

3) Rangers with Chytil. He's out for the season and he's an up and coming 24 year old center. 23 goals and 45 points last year, but he's out for the season with an injury.

That's 3 examples (and I haven't looked at every team) where Guentzel could be a fit on a contender with a top 6 level piece coming back to us.

[pens_CT]

So, reading Canucks article on the Athletic today, they list Lekkerimaki as an untouchable (along with RHD Tom Willander). Said there's no way they'd move either of these guys for a rental. They listed Konecny (who has term after this year) as one possibility where they could include one of those guys.

They also had Garland in their untouchable category, saying he has turned things around and been a major contributor to the success of the 3rd line.

2024 1st, Kuzmenko, and Hoglander/Raty (who writers considered 3rd best VAN prospect) sounds more likely for Guentzel, which doesn't make me jump at the trade as much.

You know Rutherford, if he wants a guy he will overpay. Of course they're not going to give up either of their top two prospects for a rental, but nothing prevents them for asking Dubas if they can talk contract extension with Jake's agent. Relative to Lekkerimakl I don't think he made the Athletic's top 50 prospects so we're not talking Mike Bossy here. He's playing on the bigger ice in Europe so who knows how well he translates to the North American game.

[Daniel]

This isn’t meant to be insulting to my fellow Pens fans on here, but if we trade Jake to a contender at the deadline, shouldn’t we expect to not get any top players back? I mean, the other team is trying to load up on talent for a cup run and not swap established roster players, right? I could see getting picks and prospects back, but I don’t think we should expect to get a top six forward or something like that back, I guess.

In most all cases, you are correct...playoff bound teams don't give up players on their roster in deadline deals. But there are exceptions...where cap maneuvers are necessary, where there is already a desire to ship out a player, or maybe a player is injured for the season, so the acquiring team can afford to part with said player.

The 3 examples I have given:

1) Vancouver with Kuzmenko (been a healthy scratch, way off pace of the 39 goals he scored last year).

2) Carolina with Bunting (he's not bad, but there were rumors Dubas wanted to reacquire him; I don't think he's hit the same levels of production this year in Carolina, so moving out Guentzel would be an upgrade).

3) Rangers with Chytil. He's out for the season and he's an up and coming 24 year old center. 23 goals and 45 points last year, but he's out for the season with an injury.

That's 3 examples (and I haven't looked at every team) where Guentzel could be a fit on a contender with a top 6 level piece coming back to us.

That also doesn't take into account AHL players that should be on the roster but because of depth are stuck. Let's look at Dylan Holloway from Edmonton, 14th overall pick, 22 years old, good size or Xavier Bourgault, 22th overall pick, 21 years old. Have no idea if those guys are any good, literally looked at that age range to create an example trade. Neither can make a pretty good Oilers roster and Edmonton could use a great playoff performer such as Jake.

For example, Jake for a 2024 1st, one of those two AHL guys and maybe add a Warren Foegele and the Penguins retain 50% to help make the numbers work. Not sure if Jake can play RW, but that would be Edmonton's problem. In theory that's a good trade for both teams. The Oilers get a proven playoff performer to maybe help them get over the hump and the Penguins get 2 under 22 assets and a 27 year old UFA.

[KG]

According to the usual insiders, the Rangers are taking calls on Kaapo Kakko...He is an intriguing piece.

If the Rangers want Jake, they are going to have to overpay though. inter-divisional trade tax!

[E-Ramone]

Good stuff! Thanks for the insights!

[BigMcK]

In the end, it's better to leave the season behind with some assets for the future than nothing at all. In other words, don't lose Jake for no return at all. He isn't going to resign here.

GMKD, don't regret your decision in the off-season. Come out of this situation as having done the right thing for the good of the team and its future.

[FLPensFan]

In the end, it's better to leave the season behind with some assets for the future than nothing at all. In other words, don't lose Jake for no return at all. He isn't going to resign here.

GMKD, don't regret your decision in the off-season. Come out of this situation as having done the right thing for the good of the team and its future.

If I thought this team was capable of making the playoffs and making some noise, I wouldn't be 100% against keeping Jake and letting him walk. But this team lacks any sense of consistency, just like last year. They cannot put together 3 good games in a row on a regular basis.

Keeping him as our own rental and letting him walk after this year is like going into a final exam with a low F grade, and the only way to not fail the class is to score a 100%...and you bet your life savings that you can do it. The chances of doing anything meaningful by keeping him this year are literally slim to none.

[Pens4Life]

I see most of you guys want Jake traded.. I still dont! You dont trade away best winger you have,even if rebuild or retool is coming in next 2 years.. also I think Jake is currently more leaning into staying even with maybe 1-1.5M less per season with Pens and his buddy Sid, than to sign elsewhere.. 8.5M per and I think he is staying! And once again as I told multiple times, he is easily tradeable down the road in next 2-3 seasons..

Smith, Rakell are the top6 wingers that might get shipped.. I think many Players would perform better under new coach,but as Sully it seems he is actually POHO, GM behind the scenes as well as coach,well then... LOL

[BigMcK]

I see most of you guys want Jake traded.. I still dont! You dont trade away best winger you have,even if rebuild or retool is coming in next 2 years.. also I think Jake is currently more leaning into staying even with maybe 1-1.5M less per season with Pens and his buddy Sid, than to sign elsewhere.. 8.5M per and I think he is staying! And once again as I told multiple times, he is easily tradeable down the road in next 2-3 seasons..

Smith, Rakell are the top6 wingers that might get shipped.. I think many Players would perform better under new coach,but as Sully it seems he is actually POHO, GM behind the scenes as well as coach,well then... LOL

Jake Guentzel has already turned down a great offer to resign with the Penguins, according to reports as listed on the previous page. Stay and play with Sidney Crosby? Nope, not enough in for him to stick around. Jake IS replaceable. Personally, he isn't in the top 20 favorite All-time Penguins on my list.

Yes, great winger for Crosby. Not 8 years of $9.000.000 per year, with a no movement clause. He ain't signing up to be traded in 3 years.

He should be free to go to another team and thrive.

50 Million dollars isn't enough for him, plus what he made previously.

[Wyopen]

I’m sorry, but Guentzel should not make more than Crosby’s cap hit of 8.7M/yr. Crosby is the better player and makes Jake what he is. Jake should respect that.

[Pruezy11881]

I’m sorry, but Guentzel should not make more than Crosby’s cap hit of 8.7M/yr. Crosby is the better player and makes Jake what he is. Jake should respect that.

They are going to use the likes of Marner and Nylander as comps...good luck with that. Hell, Horvat's contract is paying $8.5 mil/yr. Anyone that thinks Jake is taking a big discount on what could be his last NHL contract is slightly disconnected.

[Daniel]

I’m sorry, but Guentzel should not make more than Crosby’s cap hit of 8.7M/yr. Crosby is the better player and makes Jake what he is. Jake should respect that.

They are going to use the likes of Marner and Nylander as comps...good luck with that. Hell, Horvat's contract is paying $8.5 mil/yr. Anyone that thinks Jake is taking a big discount on what could be his last NHL contract is slightly disconnected.

I can see him taking a discount if the Penguins had won several playoff rounds over the past few years and just fell short of at least one cup win, but why would he give a discount to come back to an aging roster that hasn't been a contender for almost a decade?

[KG]

Yeah, Sid wouldn't care if Jake made more AAV than him at this stage in his career. Karlsson already does and he's not a core member of the team.

Sid signed that deal over a decade ago. Cap and players salaries have gone up significantly since then.

That said, we should not be signing Jake to a 8 year $10mill AAV type of contract. If we want to trade him in 4 years we are going to have to retain several million a season for many seasons to get out of it.

Just deal him for the biggest haul we can get, no matter what team it is.

[Dynasty1970]

This team needs to make the safe move and start the bidding war for his services. I fear that they will do nothing and lose him for nothing. This team doesn't have a great history in this department. https://thehockeywriters.com/revisiting ... omir-jagr/

[pekkasteele]

I thought that KD would come in and actually be the man in charge, if he was, I think he would deal Jake. But the longer Sully is here, the more I think that he is not actually in charge, but FSG is pulling the strings, or, Sully....

[KG]

I thought that KD would come in and actually be the man in charge, if he was, I think he would deal Jake. But the longer Sully is here, the more I think that he is not actually in charge, but FSG is pulling the strings, or, Sully....

I'm hoping that KD came in here, listened to Sully and built a team with a bunch of Sully type plugs. Now that it hasn't worked, KD can go to FSG and say, look guys, second verse, same as the first. It's time for me to bring in my own coach and players.

If FSG was going to really force KD to keep Sully around, there's no reason to pay him huge money to run an organization, when he can't even bring in his own coaching staff. Doesn't make sense.

[Pens4Life]

Wouldnt be funny if Dubas hands were tied and he would step down after one year here?! LoL.. because slowly it feels like he is just a face to blame ,while FSG and Sully do their crap.

Otherwise Sully , Reirden and co. should be gone by now..

[largegarlic]

I had initially voted that the Pens would deal with Guentzel after the season (not necessarily what I'd do, but what I thought Dubas would do). But that was a few weeks ago, and if Guentzel's agent is making noise about not talking contract until after the season, and the Pens still aren't in a playoff spot, I think it's becoming more likely he will be dealt. They absolutely cannot miss the playoffs AND let him walk for nothing.

[dark_forces]

I had initially voted that the Pens would deal with Guentzel after the season (not necessarily what I'd do, but what I thought Dubas would do). But that was a few weeks ago, and if Guentzel's agent is making noise about not talking contract until after the season, and the Pens still aren't in a playoff spot, I think it's becoming more likely he will be dealt. They absolutely cannot miss the playoffs AND let him walk for nothing.

Agreed. The fact that they're putting out there that Jake's camp intends to wait until the offseason to talk contract means you must deal him. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[IntangibleBeer]

I had initially voted that the Pens would deal with Guentzel after the season (not necessarily what I'd do, but what I thought Dubas would do). But that was a few weeks ago, and if Guentzel's agent is making noise about not talking contract until after the season, and the Pens still aren't in a playoff spot, I think it's becoming more likely he will be dealt. They absolutely cannot miss the playoffs AND let him walk for nothing.

I also agree as well. Waiting until the season ends just gives Jake’s agent even more leverage in the negotiations.

[FLPensFan]

I had initially voted that the Pens would deal with Guentzel after the season (not necessarily what I'd do, but what I thought Dubas would do). But that was a few weeks ago, and if Guentzel's agent is making noise about not talking contract until after the season, and the Pens still aren't in a playoff spot, I think it's becoming more likely he will be dealt. They absolutely cannot miss the playoffs AND let him walk for nothing.

I also agree as well. Waiting until the season ends just gives Jake’s agent even more leverage in the negotiations.

In my eyes, there isn't a number that is going to make Jake stay. Playing with Crosby is great for your stats and to earn you the $$$, but at this point in Sid's career, staying here isn't likely to get you another Cup. I think Jake goes elsewhere. So trade him.

[E-Ramone]

I agree that this is Jake’s chance for that massive contract. He’s at his peak right now, and staying in Pittsburgh prob only works if he takes a hometown discount. Also, it doesn’t bode well for him toward the end of his career because Sid and the core will be gone. He’d be the main guy probably by then without the talent around him that he’s used to. I think they should ask to the highest bidder.

[Wyopen]

Keep him now. Lindholm to Canucks for Kuzmenko