The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins are rarely, if ever, trade partners. The two Metropolitan Division rivals go head-to-head multiple times a season and that is reason enough to believe that the two teams won’t make a deal. With this in mind, if the Penguins end up trading Jake Guentzel, they will likely move him to a Western Conference team.
That being said, the Penguins are sellers heading into the deadline, and the best offer for Guentzel will be what sways general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas and the new front office. Even as a rental, the asking price will be high, as the star player will likely garner a top prospect, a player, and a first-round draft selection. Bo Horvat was acquired last season by the Islanders for that price, and Elias Lindholm, who was traded from the Calgary Flames to the Vancouver Canucks, was moved in exchange for five pieces. The Penguins will look for a similar return for their star forward.
The Islanders don’t seem capable of pulling off a deal to land Guentzel. They have one of the worst farm systems in the league and don’t have a surplus of assets like other teams looking to add a star to their lineup. Then again, it’s hard to count their GM, Lou Lamoriello, out until the deadline is in the rearview mirror. A deal between the Islanders and the Penguins can happen and help the two sides in the process.
Islanders Have Prospects to Make the Deal
The Penguins, like the Islanders, have a depleted prospect pool. With an aging roster, they must add young players and prospects who can make an immediate impact for the team to contend. The trade for Erik Karlsson reflects where this team is heading or in what direction they hope to go. They gave up future assets for a player in his prime who can help the team compete for the Stanley Cup now. They aren’t looking at the long-term future of the roster, not now, at least.
The Islanders’ farm system isn’t great. However, they have individual prospects who could help Lamoriello put together a strong package in a deal. The two standouts are William Dufour and Matthew Maggio, young scorers on the Bridgeport Islanders in the American Hockey League (AHL). Likewise, two-way defenseman Robin Salo has a future in the NHL but needs a new setting to thrive.
The organization also has a few wild-card prospects in the pipeline who could sweeten the deal. The most notable is goaltender Henrik Tikkanen, a 23-year-old who, at 6-foot-8, has emerged as one of the more interesting prospects in the Islanders’ system. He has a high ceiling (literally) and is putting together a strong season in the AHL with a .931 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.05 goals-against average (GAA) on 379 shots. The Penguins need goaltending reinforcements, and Tikkanen could move the needle for them.
To convince the Penguins to move Guentzel, the Islanders would likely have to trade either Dufour or Maggio, an NHL-ready player like Oliver Wahlstrom or Julien Gauthier, and a wild-card prospect. A first-round selection can be thrown into the deal as well, but the prospects are what the Penguins will want, and if they desire a goaltender like Tikkanen, that might be enough to move their star player.
Islanders Suddenly Need Second-Line Scoring
It’s amazing how much can change in a week. The Islanders seemed to be watching their season head into a downward spiral after losing five of six games in the middle of February. A line change has helped them turn their season around, as they’ve won four games in a row and moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Metropolitan Division. The line change, which saw second-line center Brock Nelson move to the wing on the top line, also left the Islanders without a scoring presence in the middle of the forward unit.
Lamoriello always looks for scorers first and playmakers second. Guentzel is both but has made his mark with his shot and ability to find the back of the net. The newly-formed top line has essentially all of the offense on it, with Nelson and Mathew Barzal playing on the wings. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if the veteran GM looked to add another as his big move at the trade deadline.
Guentzel would play on the second line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and the resurgent Kyle Palmieri, who has stepped up in recent games and become one of the best scorers on the Islanders. Having an elite skater on their line would unlock both players, as Guentzel can create scoring chances for Palmieri on the opposite wing and take advantage of Pageau’s passing ability.
Guentzel Sets Islanders Up For Playoff Success
What separates him from other stars is how he affects the game. He can create offense on the rush and operate in space. He also can find soft spots in the defense and create in the offensive zone. Along with his scoring instincts, he can set up his linemates for scoring chances with his passing. His 22 goals and 30 assists in 50 games this season and 219 goals and 247 assists in his career reflect his ability to win in multiple ways.
Last season, the Islanders backed their way into the playoffs, and in the first round, there was a noticeable gap between them and their opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes. Among the many things that separated the teams was versatility and the ability to adapt to a great defense. The Islanders couldn’t do it, while the Hurricanes could and did to ultimately win the series in six games. This team will once again likely slide into the playoffs as a wild-card team or as the third-best team in the Metropolitan Division, and they need to add a forward who gives them that advantage.
Guentzel is the dynamic forward the Islanders need for a playoff run. Playing on the second line, he’d give the offense a one-two punch, as opponents would be asked to stop multiple potent lines every game. On top of that, he’s proven he can make a difference in the playoffs. In 2017, he scored a team-leading 13 goals and eight assists to help the Penguins win the Cup. He’s not healthy at the moment, but he’s going to make a difference in the playoffs, and that makes him a must-have for Lamoriello if he indeed wants to go all-in.
Penguins Can Retool on the Fly
The underlying issue with the Penguins is that they need to rebuild but can’t. As long as Sidney Crosby is on the roster, and he will be until he retires, they see themselves as contenders. Moreover, with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang rounding out the core, they will try to contend and make all the moves necessary to win a Cup.
Instead of rebuilding or tearing the roster down and starting over, they will retool. If they move Guentzel, the Penguins will look for prospects or NHL-ready players and not draft selections. The hope is that they can find players who immediately impact the roster and help them compete by next season. A deal with the Islanders, who have a handful of NHL-ready prospects, can help them do that.
Dubas will have time to work on improving this roster. He won’t be allowed to tear it down, but he can punt on this season if it means the Penguins will bounce back in 2024-25. Lamoriello doesn’t have that same luxury. The clock is ticking for him to turn the Islanders into a contender, and minimal movement at the trade deadline could be the last straw for his tenure as GM. The Islanders are having a strong season but must upgrade to make a playoff run, and Guentzel would put them over the top.
Do you think the Islanders can acquire Guentzel from the Penguins? Let us know in the comments section below.
