Jake Guentzel has been on just about every Canucks fan's lips over the last few days. Every insider has connected Patrik Allvin to the scoring winger, and the Canucks are expected to deliver a massive offer.
Patrik Allvin identified two of the Canucks' needs as speed and a top-six winger to play alongside Elias Pettersson. The majority agrees that Jake Guentzel could be an excellent fit for the Canucks; given the opportunity they have for him and the two parties' existing relationship, they are at the top of everyone's prediction.
The one thing that may stop the Canucks from making it happen is the heavy competition there will be money-wise. The Canucks are in a tight spot salary cap-wise, and they'll have to throw just about every penny they have to make it happen.
Frank Seravally was on Oilers Now earlier and talked about some of the most prominent players in free agency. According to his intel, the Canucks are not only going to be making a solid push to acquire Guentzel's services, and they're looking at making him the Canucks' second-best-paid player:
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'' They're going to make a real strong push for Guentzel. I'm thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 yrs times 9.5 mill. They're going to go after it.''
(Oilers Now)
(Oilers Now)
The American registered 30 goals and 77 points in 67 regular-season games, split between the Penguins and the Hurricanes. He added 9 points through 11 playoff games. Known as a player who delivers when the stakes are high, as shown by the Stanley Cup, he won in the early stages of their career with the Penguins (then led by Jim Rutherford) and his 67 points in 69 career playoff games.
Contenders are going to be lining up to acquire his services. Will the Canucks and Patrik Allvin's offer be enough? Will the opportunity to play alongside Elias Pettersson be enticing enough? The verdict should be known in July, when the market officially opens.
