The Pittsburgh Penguins placed Jake Guentzel on injured reserve and recalled three players from their AHL affiliate, with Guentzel expected to be out for a month but his strong playoff track record and potential short absence from a new team by the trade deadline likely keeping his trade value steady.
The Pittsburgh Penguins just dropped some news. Jake Guentzel’s on injured reserve now. And guess what? They’re bringing up Jonathan Gruden, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Valtteri Puustinen from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It’s all official, straight from their Twitter.
Then, Chris Johnston from TSN threw in his two cents. He says Guentzel might be out for a month. That’s got folks wondering about his chances of being traded by the deadline.
But here’s the thing. Guentzel’s playoff history? Stellar. Since he first hit the ice in the league, he’s been nothing short of impressive. So, even with this setback, teams are probably still going to line up for him. Especially with the playoffs on the horizon.
The Penguins, though, they’re kinda teetering on the edge of making it to the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. Not having Guentzel? Yeah, that’s gonna sting.
If they decide to wait it out until March 8 to trade him, the team that picks him up will barely miss him. He’ll be out for maybe a week, barring any more surprises with his injury. So, don’t expect his value to dip much by the time the trade deadline comes knocking.
About the guys they called up? Gruden and Hinostroza have been hanging out in the AHL for a bit. But Puustinen? He’s been making some noise in Pittsburgh this season. With one goal and eight points in 21 games, he’s proving his worth, even if it’s in a depth role.
