In a recent announcement from the Pittsburgh Penguins, forward Jake Guentzel has been placed on injured reserve, prompting the team to recall Jonathan Gruden, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Valtteri Puustinen from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Unfortunately, the move follows reports from insiders like Chris Johnston of TSN who state that Guentzel is expected to miss approximately a month due to injury. The news casts doubt on his availability before the March 8 trade deadline.
While Guentzel’s injury may raise questions about his trade deadline candidacy, his strong playoff track record since entering the league might still make him an attractive target for potential suitors. The question becomes the ask for the player and with Guentzel out, it makes it tougher for the Penguins to make the playoffs. They’re now more likely to become sellers if the team struggles without its leading scorer.
Will a Trade Deadline Buyer Still Want Jake Guentzel If Injured?
The timeline of Guentzel’s expected return may align with the trade deadline, but the acquiring team might have concerns. That said, if his return goes according to early projections, his new team would only miss his services for about a week. Consequently, Guentzel’s price tag may not see a significant drop by the trade deadline, as the potential impact on his availability is relatively short-term.
In terms of the players recalled in response to Guentzel’s injury, Gruden and Hinostroza have spent considerable time in the AHL over the past month. Puustinen, however, has shown success in Pittsburgh this season, contributing one goal and eight points in 21 games while serving in a depth role. To say the least, this injury news adds a layer of complexity to the Penguins’ trade deadline strategy.
Next: Oilers Said Be Eyeing Trade Deadline Home Run Deal
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
