Jake Guentzel
Stanley Cup champion and former Carolina Hurricanes forward.
Jake Allen Guentzel is an American professional ice hockey player who plays left wing and serves as an alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League. He was picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round, 77th overall, during the 2013 NHL draft, and he helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2017. He has also suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 6, 1994, Guentzel grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota. He played varsity hockey for two years at Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, Minnesota, where his team finished as runner-up in the 2012 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
Guentzel started his junior career with the Sioux City Musketeers in the United States Hockey League for the 2012–13 season. In 60 games, he put up 29 goals and 44 assists for 73 points, finishing sixth in league scoring. He was named USHL Rookie of the Year, made the USHL All-Rookie Team, and earned a spot on the league’s Second All-Star Team.
He then committed to the University of Nebraska Omaha, playing NCAA Division I hockey for the Omaha Mavericks starting in 2013–14. As a freshman, he made the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team and the NCHC All-Conference Rookie Team, and was a finalist for NCHC Rookie of the Year, recording 7 goals and 34 points in 37 games. The next season, he helped the Mavericks reach the Frozen Four for the first time, scoring their only goal in a 4–1 loss to Providence. He led the team in scoring with 14 goals and 39 points in 36 games. Before his junior year in 2015–16, his teammates voted him a co-captain alongside Brian Cooper. That season, he appeared in 35 games, notching 19 goals and 46 points, again leading the team in scoring. He was named an NCHC Scholar-Athlete, made the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team, and was selected to the NCHC All-Conference Second Team. He left UNO after his junior year to turn pro.
The Penguins drafted Guentzel in 2013, and in March 2016 he signed an amateur tryout with their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He played 11 regular-season games with WBS, scoring 2 goals and 6 points, and helped them reach the Calder Cup playoffs. In the postseason, WBS advanced to the second round before losing to the Hershey Bears; Guentzel led the team in playoff scoring with 5 goals and 14 points in 10 games.
- Born
- October 6, 1994
- Birthplace
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Draft
- Third round, 77th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013
- Stanley cup
- 2017 with the Pittsburgh Penguins
- Nhl debut
- November 21, 2016, against the New York Rangers
- Career high goals season
- 40 goals (2018–19)
- Career high points season
- 76 points (2018–19)
Lore & Background
Guentzel grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota, and played varsity hockey at Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, Minnesota, where the team finished second in the 2012 MN State Hockey Tournament. He played junior hockey for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, recording 73 points in 60 games and being named USHL Rookie of the Year. He then played college hockey at the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he was a co-captain and led the team in scoring for two consecutive seasons, helping the Mavericks reach the Frozen Four for the first time in 2015.
Guentzel turned professional with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, making his NHL debut in November 2016 and scoring two goals on his first two shots. He became the first Penguins rookie to score a playoff hat-trick and tied the rookie record for points in a single postseason with 21 during the 2017 Stanley Cup run. He later signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Penguins in December 2018 and was selected for the 2020 NHL All-Star Game. After suffering a shoulder injury in December 2019, he underwent surgery and missed six months but returned for the playoffs.
Reader's Guide
Guentzel's significance lies in his consistent high-level scoring and his role in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2017 Stanley Cup championship. As a rookie, he tied the NHL record for points by a rookie in a single postseason (21) and fell one goal short of the rookie playoff goal record. He recorded multiple playoff hat-tricks and became the third Penguins player to score four goals in a playoff game, joining Mario Lemieux and Kevin Stevens. His regular season production peaked at 40 goals and 76 points in the 2018–19 season. Guentzel's ability to produce at a point-per-game pace in the shortened 2020–21 season (57 points in 56 games) further demonstrated his offensive consistency. His tenure with the Penguins included multiple deep playoff runs, though the team faced early exits in later years. Guentzel's legacy includes being a key offensive contributor on a championship team and a player who set multiple rookie playoff records.
Did You Know?
- Guentzel scored two goals on his first two NHL shots in his debut against the New York Rangers.
- He tied Dino Ciccarelli and Ville Leino for most points by a rookie in a single postseason (21).
- Guentzel was named USHL Rookie of the Year in 2012–13.
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