The Tampa Bay Lightning were never really considered in the running for Jake Guentzel's services — general manager Julien BriseBois has his hands full with potential Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos extensions, after all. But that could have all changed after the organization offloaded Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot to a pair of Pacific Division clubs on Saturday.
With an extra $11 million in cap space, initial thoughts pointed towards that money potentially going towards a new Stamkos contract, but that might not be the case, according to Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman.
“Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois electrified the draft Saturday morning by trading Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles — with the Lightning poised to do big business as free-agency approaches,” reported Friedman during Day 2 of the NHL Draft on Saturday.
“Tampa’s believed priority target is Jake Guentzel, coming off a 30-goal season in Pittsburgh and Carolina.”
Guentzel was absolutely excellent in 2023-24 in spite of missing over a month due to injury. The Stanley Cup champion put up 30 goals and 77 points split between the Penguins and Hurricanes in just 67 games, adding another nine points over 11 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
With his contract set to expire, Guentzel reportedly still hasn't made a decision on his future, although the Canes are still very interested in getting the star American locked up. And he will be due for a massive raise after making $6 million for each of the last five campaigns.
Will Jake Guentzel stick with Hurricanes long-term?
“What happened between the Hurricanes and Guentzel is still being determined. According to multiple sources, Guentzel’s ask was eight years with an $8-million AAV,” reported Friedman on Saturday. “It was made some time ago, with the two sides grinding away in negotiations since that time — perfectly normal.”
The hockey insider added: “On Thursday, the Hurricanes agreed to meet those terms and were prepared to discuss structure. Several teams said they heard the winger was staying in Carolina. But, with July 1 approaching, those same sources indicated Guentzel decided that, the longer it took, the more he thought about testing free agency as, is his right.”
Both the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks have been reportedly targeting Guentzel, although the needle seems to be moving towards him remaining in Raleigh long-term — a city he was vocal on how much he enjoyed playing in.
But the Lightning are certainly an enticing destination, especially if they could potentially offer something similar to an eight-year deal worth around $8 million AAV. Obviously, he would be electric on a line and powerplay unit with Hart Trophy finalist Nikita Kucherov in 2024-25 and beyond.
Tampa Bay's core could be in for a shake up if Stamkos does indeed test the open market on July 1, and Guentzel could be an excellent replacement in Florida for the long haul.
It will be intriguing to see if it's the Hurricanes, Lightning or another team that lands the big fish of free agency come Monday.
Follow Us
Subscribe