The Penguins of the last decade and a half half mostly been defined by three players, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Another player that has consistently been among the team leaders though is Jake Guentzel, who has been with the team since he made his NHL debut 8 years ago.
Guentzel's time in Pittsburgh may be coming to an early end though as contending teams are reportedly eyeing him as a potential trade deadline target.
With Dubas and the Penguins still holding out hope for a playoff birth this year, the general manager is reluctant to trade his star forward. However, if, at the trade deadline the team is still well outside of the playoff picture, moving him may be the best move in the long run. That being said, Dubas reportedly will not let him go for cheap.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Dubas is seeking a 1st round pick and a top prospect in exchange for the 29-year-old. It is a high price to pay for a rental, but considering his injury history, it may be too high even for the top contenders to pull the trigger on him. That being said, Johnston believes the Oilers may be a perfect fit for the winger.
However, the Oilers already have a rather meager prospect pool and none of their prospects may interest the Penguins. The team does have all of their upcoming 1st round picks though. Regardless, it will be an interesting trade deadline to watch for the Penguins as they navigate a transition period from Crosby and Malkin to the next era of Penguins hockey.
As seen on Insider Reveals the High Price to Acquire Star Penguins Forward in a Trade
POLL | ||
3 JANVIER | 133 ANSWERS Insider Unveils The Shocking Asking Price From Kyle Dubas To Acquire Penguins Star Forward Do you think the Penguins will trade Guentzel this year? | ||
Yes | 63 | 47.4 % |
No | 70 | 52.6 % |
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