Former Pittsburgh Penguins star aims for second Cup with Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake Guentzel experienced the joy of championship glory early in his career, when he won the Stanley Cup as a rookie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. That was seven years ago, and Guentzel, now with the Tampa Bay Lightning, is hungry for another championship.

The 29-year-old forward was one of the top free agents on the market, eventually signing a seven-year, $63 million contract ($9 million AAV) with Tampa Bay. Of course, the Lightning won back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021, and Guentzel still sees championship potential in this group.

“They all know how to win,” Guentzel said Wednesday on Da Beauty League, according to NHL.com. “They just have a winning pedigree. (And I) still think we have a chance to win.”

Guentzel joins Tampa Bay’s top six players Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, all of whom have at least three more seasons under contract. The Lightning are still feeling the loss of longtime captain Steven Stamkos, who signed with the Nashville Predators on July 1, but there’s still plenty of talent on the roster.

“There’s a lot of top players, elite players on the team, and just an incredible opportunity for me and my family to go do something different on our own,” Guentzel said. “It’s going to be fun for us. It’s going to be different, it’s going to be challenging, but it’s going to be something we’re looking forward to.”

Last season, Guentzel scored 77 points (30 goals, 47 assists) in 67 games with the Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, then scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 playoff games with Carolina. He has 491 points (227 goals, 264 assists) in 520 career games and is solid defensively, especially for a true top-line forward.

The Lightning are looking to prove they’re still a Cup contender after two straight first-round exits. Moving on from Stamkos and signing Guentzel is certainly a risk, but one that may be necessary to keep the window open.

“It’s a new team, a new division and a new opportunity,” Guentzel said. “Last year was a very different year for me with injuries and getting traded and whatnot, but I learned a lot. I think it’s going to be really exciting going into this season with Tampa, just to see what we can do together with all the top talent that’s here.

“Like I said, if I just play my game and play my style of hockey, then hopefully it will click and we can do something really special there.”

Be sure to bookmark Breakaway OnSI for breaking news, exclusive interviews, recruiting reports, and more!