What will the Pittsburgh Penguins do with Jake Guentzel?

On a Pittsburgh Penguins team with future Hockey Hall of Famers like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, it’s Jake Guentzel who is leading in scoring with 45 points (18 goals and 27 assists) through 40 games.

But going into Jan. 12, the Penguins are 20-15-5 with 45 points, sixth in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division, and currently not in a playoff spot. Despite general manager Kyle Dubas retaining the team’s core players, as well as acquiring Karlsson in the offseason, it’s not a guarantee that they’ll be lining up for playoff hockey this spring.

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss the Penguins’ place in the standings and where Guentzel, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, fits in the club’s future.

Tyler Yaremchuk: You don’t go out and keep the core together, acquire Erik Karlsson just to sit on your hands and do nothing at the trade deadline. Then again, they don’t have picks, they don’t have cap space, they don’t have a lot of prospects. I don’t know what the Pittsburgh Penguins could do, even if they wanted to make a deal.

Frank Seravalli: I don’t even know why it would make sense to throw money at something. I think the big thing it comes down to for the Penguins is: “Are we in a playoff spot or within striking distance?” And if they’re two or three points back around March 1, a week ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, they have to ask themselves what they’re doing with Jake Guentzel.

I don’t think it makes any sense for them to re-sign him. Zero sense. Even if you think he’s an elite point-producing winger, why would you be signing him to a long-term deal? This team could miss the playoffs for a second straight year, do you want to sign him to a seven- or eight-year deal just to be on one of the worst teams in the league?

You can listen to the full segment and the rest of the episode here…