Exploring a trade between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins for Jake Guentzel
By Conor Power
As an owner, James Dolan is the living embodiment of Jekyll and Hyde. He wants the top players available in free agency and trade market while wanting to show off his other businesses, like the globe in Las Vegas. This deadline will be a clash of wants and needs for the Rangers, as Dolan wants to be a major factor in the final in-person draft at the Globe in Vegas while still strengthening the roster for a Stanley Cup push.
Dolan's want to retain the first-round pick means that a push for a star at this deadline is unlikely, but not impossible. With this, let's turn our attention to Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel and his future in the Steel City. It's a rough road because Guentzel is out for the next couple of weeks, but the star forward still commands a lot of interest from teams trying to strengthen before the playoffs.
Dubas says how team plays in next two weeks will determine thought process in regards to whether Jake is traded.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) February 21, 2024
“We know we need to get younger.”
As the Penguins try to get younger, perhaps the division rivals could provide the answer to the right-wing issues. Guentzel has a cap hit of $6 million. It cannot be prorated due to the Rangers being in long-term injury relief, but retention could make that work regardless. Pittsburgh may need to sell off so retention for the Omaha, Nebraska native to replenish the cupboard and get younger in the Steel City, so what could the cost be?
dark. Next. Will Anthony Mantha be the solution to the RW issues?. Will Anthony Mantha be the solution to the RW issues?
This is unlikely to happen without the 2024 first-round pick being in play, so let's get that out of the way early. However, the 2025 first-round pick accompanied by Brennan Othmann, Gabriel Perreault, and perhaps some other picks to make the difference in value up for an extended Jake Guentzel could be something that the Rangers consider. Pittsburgh will be able to auction off the player that has 52 points in 50 games to the highest bidder, and that is extremely unlikely to be the Rangers.
Guentzel is probably someone that the Rangers should circle back to in free agency instead of investing all of those assets into a potential rental. It's not worth it. However, Guentzel on that top line instantly makes this roster feel more genuine as a cup threat, and that is what we are all here for at the end of the day. It's a clash of wants and needs for the Blueshirts, so what would you do?