The Penguins had been optimistic that Jake Guentzel wouldn’t be sidelined for long to start the year after undergoing offseason ankle surgery – and now, he may not miss any time at all.
Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan said there’s a chance the winger could play on Tuesday versus Chicago, listing Guentzel’s status as day-to-day.
“He’ll more than likely be a game-time decision,” Sullivan said. “We’ll see how he gets through the next couple of days. But obviously, he’s practicing in full capacity. He was heavily involved in the power plays today. He’s an important player for us. We’re real encouraged with his progress.”
After skating on his own for a number of days, Guentzel joined team practice in a non-contact fashion on Sep. 29 before upgrading to full participation on Oct. 3. The Penguins didn’t do line rushes at Sunday’s session at PPG Paints Arena, but as Sullivan mentioned, Guentzel did skate with the top power-play unit for the first time, which is a sign that a player is trending towards a return.
“It was nice to be back in kind of the full sense, power play and all that stuff,” said Guentzel, who joined Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson for the special teams work. “Nice to get some reps. Just got to be smart with myself and make sure I’m 100% comfortable out there. We’ll see where it takes me.”
The Penguins practice again on Monday before hosting the Blackhawks the following night – and having Guentzel available would be a game-changer. As Sullivan likes to say, Guentzel has quietly emerged as one of the league’s superstars with his goal-scoring ability. He’s gotten at least 20 tallies in six of seven NHL seasons, hitting 40 twice and leading the Penguins with 36 last season.
And of course, it’s no secret he has terrific chemistry with Crosby, with Guentzel a fixture on the captain’s left wing. When Guentzel is in the lineup, it gives Pittsburgh the ability to bump guys down and help the team’s depth.
“He obviously brings so much,” said Bryan Rust, who spends a lot of time on the right wing of that line. “He's a great offensive player and great goal scorer, but he also plays a great defensively. His awareness and his hockey IQ on the ice is tremendous. He can make so many plays happen, and I think he's a guy that's not easy to replace.”
Hopefully, the Penguins won’t have to.
