Penguins A to Z: Jake Guentzel enters the final year of his contract

With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022-23 season coming to an end without any postseason action, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 49 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Corey Andonovski to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

This series will publish every weekday leading into the NHL Draft on June 28-29.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)

Jake Guentzel

Position: Left winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 28

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 180 pounds

2022-23 NHL statistics: 78 games, 73 points (36 goals, 37 assists)

Contract: In the fourth year of a five-year contract with a salary cap hit of $6 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in the 2024 offseason.

(Note: The final two years of Guentzel’s contract contains a modified no-trade clause which allows Guentzel to submit a list of 12 teams he would accept a trade to.)

Acquired: Third-round draft pick (No. 77 overall), June 30, 2013

Last season: In most contexts, Jake Guentzel had a marvelous 2022-23 campaign. After all, he was the leading goal scorer on a team stocked with a handful of future enshrinees into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But considering he totaled 40 goals in 2021-22, something just seemed off with Guentzel this past season.

His goals were down, particularly given the overall malfunctions of the power play. Additionally, his total was buoyed by a league-leading seven empty net goals.

And while no one would ever confuse him with former Penguins antagonist Gary Rissling, Guentzel set a career-high with 46 penalty minutes.

Guentzel started 2022-23 in a productive fashion, despite missing four games in late October due to an undisclosed injury. In his first 10 games of the season, he posted 13 points (eight goals, five assists), including three game-winning goals.

And while his production didn’t fall off a cliff, he did plateau a bit. The low point of his season came in mid-December when he went eight consecutive games without a goal.

Down the stretch run of the regular season, as the Penguins made a futile pursuit of a playoff seed, Guentzel’s struggles mirrored his team’s overall travails. As the Penguins slipped out of postseason contention, Guentzel was limited to four points (one goal, three assists) in his final six games.

The future: Presumably, Guentzel would appear to have a safe place on the team’s roster, regardless of who winds up as the new general manager.

He’s still on the right side of 30 (his 29th birthday is in October). He’s still a very productive offensive weapon, particularly in the posteason. And most importantly, he has favored nation status with his linemate, captain Sidney Crosby.

But his contract is a curiosity.

Not because it’s a bad deal by any means. A $6 million cap hit for a 40-goal threat is a bargain.

But given the overall malaise of this team’s roster and the limitations in place with so many of his teammates’ contracts (such as strict no-movement clauses), could Guentzel wind up being a possible trade asset given the flexibility his contract provides as well as the clear value he still offers?

Guentzel is one of the Penguins’ five most important players. But for a team that needs to make some considerable changes to return to playoff form, he might be one of the few options to affect that change as he enters the final year of his contract. At the same time, the Penguins’ next general manager could make signing Guentzel to a contract extension one of their leading priorities.

Follow the Penguins all season long.