It’s not something that the Pittsburgh Penguins are likely considering now. It’s also not something the Edmonton Oilers can currently afford. Still, one NHL insider has linked Jake Guentzel to the Oilers in an “ideal” trade deadline deal should the Penguins look to sell and the Oilers feel the need to fill a potential void.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Chris Johnston examined some of the bigger names that could be traded this season, and pegged Guentzel fairly close to the top of his list. While co-author of the piece, Pierre LeBrun, linked Guentzel to the New York Rangers, Johnston said, “no buyer makes more sense than Edmonton.”
He writes:
If we’re imagining a world where Pittsburgh is both trading Guentzel and retaining salary, no buyer makes more sense than Edmonton. This would be an elite-level upgrade to a team already spilling over with elite forwards, and it would give the Oilers a natural shoot-first winger who could play alongside Leon Draisaitl. It’s an intriguing thought. This is clearly another all-in year for the Oilers, who have found traction after their early-season struggles but will need a shot in the arm in the second half.
source – ‘NHL trade matchmaker: LeBrun and Johnston on where 6 top targets go by the deadline’ – Chris Johnston – The Athletic – 12/29/2023
Admittedly, it would be quite the get for the Oilers, placing a legitimate 30-plus goal scorer with one of the elite centers in the NHL. At the same time, it also keeps Edmonton’s top line of Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in tact.
Related: Oilers’ Hyman Deserves More Praise For Incredible Start to Season
It would be an embarrassment of riches and no NHL top six would arguably be as dangerous.
Do the Oilers Need, Or Can They Afford Guentzel?
One of the questions Edmonton will be asking as the deadline approaches is where to best use the limited salary cap space they have. Arguably, spending anywhere from $3 million to $6 million on a winger isn’t the best use of their assets. If the Penguins retain 50% salary (making Guentzel a $3 million cap hit), the Oilers will have to pay dearly for that salary retention. That goes beyond what they’ll already be asked to pay for a top-level winger. If Pittsbrugh doesn’t retain, GM Ken Holland needs to find more cap space.
This all without taking into consideration that the Oilers might have already struck gold with the new combination of Draisaitl, Ryan McLeod, and Warren Foegele. It’s been a small sample size, but this trio has been magic over the past few games. If they keep things going, the Oilers won’t need another top-six forward.