The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a testy situation ahead of the NHL trade deadline with left wing Jake Guentzel playing in the final year of his contract. As a result, Guentzel has found himself as a hot name in the trade rumor mill. However, Pierre LeBrun noted on TSN's Insider Trading that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas hasn't engaged with other teams in trade talks. He also added that Dubas faces “one of the toughest decisions” of the NHL trade deadline.

“Kyle Dubas came out this week on his weekly radio appearance in Pittsburgh and he said, ‘I've not had any trade discussions with other teams,' and I think that's absolutely true,” said LeBrun. “But what he can't say is what he's going to end up doing because I think this is one of the toughest decisions of the entire trade deadline: what to do with this [Jake Guentzel].

“This is an aging team. Can you give [Guentzel] an eight-year contract to go along with all the other long-term commitments that you have on this aging core?”

Dubas did note that he will wait and see how the Penguins perform through the second half of the season to determine what he will do with Guentzel. However, Pittsburgh (21-15-6) finds itself outside of a playoff spot, but it is still very much within reach for contention.

Guentzel, who will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, has tallied 46 points for the Penguins this season with 19 goals and 27 assists. With where the Penguins stand, it still makes sense for them to hold onto him for the rest of the campaign. Dubas will still have over a month to decide what he will do with the 29-year-old.