Jake Guentzel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jake Guentzel
Guentzel with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs
Born	(1994-10-06) October 6, 1994 (age 30) Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins Carolina Hurricanes
NHL Draft	77th overall, 2013 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2016–present

Jake Allen Guentzel (born October 6, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey player. He plays as a left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Pittsburgh Penguins chose him in the 2013 NHL Draft. He was the 77th player picked overall. Jake won the famous Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017. He also played for the Carolina Hurricanes before joining the Lightning.

Jake Guentzel's Hockey Journey

Starting Out in Hockey

Jake was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 6, 1994. He grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota. He played high school hockey for two years at the Hill-Murray School. In 2012, his team finished second in the Minnesota State Hockey Tournament. After high school, he decided to play college hockey for the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Guentzel playing for the Omaha Mavericks in 2015

During his first year at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Jake earned several awards. He was named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team. He also made the NCHC All-Conference Rookie Team. He was even a finalist for the NCHC Rookie of the Year award. In his second year, he helped his team reach the Frozen Four. This was a big achievement for the Mavericks. He scored their only goal in a tough 4–1 loss. Before his third year, his teammates voted for him to be a co-captain.

Playing Professionally

Time with the Pittsburgh Penguins

After his college season in 2016, Jake signed a three-year contract. This was his first professional deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Guentzel, Nick Bonino, and Kris Letang celebrating the Penguins' Stanley Cup win in 2017

Jake started the 2016–17 season with the Penguins' minor league team. This team is called the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was soon called up to play in the NHL. Jake made his NHL debut on November 21, 2016. He scored two goals on his first two shots! Even with his great start, the Penguins lost that game.

In March 2017, Jake got injured during a game. He missed four games because of it. On April 16, 2017, he scored three goals in one game. This is called a hat-trick. One of his goals was the game-winning goal in overtime. This helped the Penguins take a big lead in their playoff series. He was the first Penguins rookie to score a playoff hat-trick. He was also only the second rookie in NHL history to score a hat-trick and an overtime goal in the same playoff game. On June 11, 2017, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. They beat the Nashville Predators in six games. During this amazing playoff run, Jake scored 21 points. This tied a record for rookies in a single postseason. His 13 goals were also very close to the rookie record.

Jake started the 2017–18 season in the NHL. He had a great year, scoring 48 points in 82 games. This helped the Penguins get into the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, Jake scored four goals in one game! This was an 8–5 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. He became only the third Penguins player to score four goals in a playoff game.

Guentzel with his family after the Penguins' Stanley Cup win in 2017

The 2018–19 season was Jake's last year on his first contract. The Penguins had a slow start that season. On November 24, 2018, Jake scored his first regular season hat trick. This helped his team win 4–2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The next month, on December 27, the Penguins signed Jake to a new five-year contract. It was worth $30 million. Jake scored his second regular season hat trick on January 11, 2019. This was in a 7–4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. After scoring two more goals the next night, he was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week.

In the 2019–20 season, Jake scored 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games. He was chosen to play in the 2020 NHL All-Star Game. On December 30, 2019, Jake reached 200 career points. He scored a goal against the Ottawa Senators. Right after scoring, he had an accident and injured his shoulder. The next day, he had surgery. He was expected to miss the rest of the season. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the playoffs. This gave him time to recover. He was able to join his teammates for the postseason. Even with Jake back, the Penguins lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round.

The 2020–21 season was shorter because of the pandemic. It had only 56 games. Jake continued to score many points. He finished the season with 23 goals and 57 points. This meant he averaged more than a point per game. Pittsburgh lost again in the first round of the playoffs. They were defeated by the New York Islanders in six games. Jake and his linemates found it hard to score in that series.

The 2021–22 season returned to the usual 82-game schedule. Jake missed the first game due to health protocols. He made his season debut on October 14. He had high scoring numbers through November 2021. From November 13 to December 6, Jake had a 13-game scoring streak. He scored 12 goals and 19 points during this time. In the twelfth game of his streak, he scored a hat trick. He also had an assist against the Vancouver Canucks. In the thirteenth game, Jake got injured again. He blocked a shot with his hand. Even though he returned to the game and scored two goals, his streak ended. His coach said he would miss a few weeks.

Guentzel celebrates his hat-trick against the Boston Bruins with Penguins teammates. Fans are throwing hats on the ice.

Jake finished the season with 40 goals. He scored another hat trick against the Boston Bruins. In the playoffs, the Penguins had a 3-1 lead over the New York Rangers. Jake scored eight goals in that series. But the Rangers came back and won in seven games.

In the 2022–23 season, Jake played on the Penguins' top line for most of the year. He scored 36 goals and 37 assists. This was a great season for him. However, it was the first time in his career that the Penguins did not make the playoffs. This had not happened since 2006.

Moving to the Carolina Hurricanes

On March 7, 2024, Jake was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. He was still recovering from an injury at the time. He was traded along with another player, Ty Smith. In return, the Penguins received several players and draft picks. Jake was ready to play on March 12. He scored his first goal with the Hurricanes on March 17.

Joining the Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake's contract was ending in the summer of 2024. On June 30, 2024, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning gave up a draft pick for him. Later, Jake signed a big seven-year contract with the Lightning. It was worth $63 million.

Jake's Family Life

Jake comes from a family that loves ice hockey. His father, Mike, was a great athlete in high school. He also played hockey for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Later, Mike became a coach at the University of Minnesota. Jake used to be a stick boy for the team. He even saw his future Penguins teammate Phil Kessel play there. Jake's older brother, Ryan, played college and professional hockey. Another older brother, Gabe, also played hockey before going to college.

Jake married his longtime girlfriend, Natalie Johnson, on July 30, 2021. Their first son, Charlie, was born on August 4, 2022.

Career Statistics

Bold indicates led league

Awards and Honors

Guentzel with the Penguins during the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals.