Jake Guentzel Bio
Jake Allen Guentzel is an American professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 77th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Guentzel has built a reputation as a reliable scorer and playoff performer, most notably winning the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017. Before joining Tampa Bay, he also suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Early Life and Background
Jake Allen Guentzel was born on October 6, 1994, in Omaha, Nebraska, and later grew up in Woodbury, Minnesota. He attended Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, Minnesota, where he played two seasons of varsity hockey and helped his team finish as runners-up at the 2012 Minnesota State Hockey Tournament. That high school experience gave him his first taste of competitive pressure on a big stage.
Hockey runs deep in the Guentzel family. His father, Mike Guentzel, was a standout athlete at Greenway High School in Coleraine, Minnesota, and went on to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers before becoming the associate head coach at the University of Minnesota. Jake also served as a stick boy for the Gophers during the years when future Penguins teammate Phil Kessel played there. His older brother Ryan played collegiately and professionally, while another older brother, Gabe, competed in the North American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League (USHL) before a four-year NCAA career at Colorado College.
Path to Hockey
Following high school, Guentzel joined the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL for the 2012–13 season. He made an immediate impact, recording 29 goals and 44 assists for 73 points in 60 games, finishing sixth in league scoring and earning USHL Rookie of the Year honors. He was also named to the USHL All-Rookie Team and the league’s Second All-Star Team, establishing himself as one of the top amateur prospects in the country.
Guentzel then committed to the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) for the 2013–14 season, joining the Omaha Mavericks of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). In his freshman year, he earned NCHC All-Conference Rookie Team recognition and was a finalist for NCHC Rookie of the Year, recording seven goals and 34 points in 37 games. He continued to develop as a sophomore in 2014–15, helping the Mavericks reach their first Frozen Four and finishing as the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals and 39 points in 36 games.
Named co-captain before his junior year, Guentzel posted 19 goals and 46 points in 35 games and once again led the team in scoring. He was recognized as an NCHC Scholar-Athlete and a Second Team All-Conference selection before deciding to forgo his senior season and turn professional.
Jake Guentzel Career
Early Career (2016)
After being drafted 77th overall in 2013, Guentzel signed an amateur tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, in March 2016. He recorded two goals and six points in 11 regular-season games and led the team in playoff scoring with five goals and 14 points in ten games as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton reached the second round of the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs.
On May 23, 2016, Guentzel signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, setting the stage for his transition to the NHL.
NHL Breakthrough (2016–2018)
Guentzel began the 2016–17 season in the AHL before being recalled by Pittsburgh on November 16, 2016. He made his NHL debut on November 21 against the New York Rangers, scoring twice on his first two shots. After a brief return to the AHL, he was recalled again in January 2017 and finished the season with 16 goals and 33 points in 40 NHL games.
The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs became his defining stage. On April 16, 2017, Guentzel scored a hat trick, including the overtime winner, against the Columbus Blue Jackets, becoming the first Penguins rookie to record a playoff hat trick. Pittsburgh went on to defeat the Nashville Predators in six games to capture the Stanley Cup, with Guentzel recording 21 points and 13 goals in the postseason, tying the rookie record for points in a single playoff year.
In 2017–18, Guentzel posted a career-high 48 points in 82 games and added 21 points in 12 playoff games, including four goals in an 8–5 Game 6 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, becoming only the third Penguins player to score four goals in a playoff game.
Pittsburgh Penguins Prime (2018–2024)
The 2018–19 season was the final year of Guentzel’s entry-level contract. He recorded his first regular-season hat trick on November 24, 2018, in a 4–2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, then added a second hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on January 11, 2019. He finished with 40 goals and 76 points in 82 games and signed a five-year, $30 million contract extension on December 27, 2018.
Guentzel was voted to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game during the 2019–20 season and recorded his 200th career point on December 30, 2019. A shoulder injury suffered on that same play required surgery and sidelined him for six months, though he returned for the postseason. In 2021–22, he posted another 40-goal campaign and recorded a 13-game point streak that included two hat tricks. He finished with 36 goals and 73 points in 2022–23, though Pittsburgh missed the playoffs that spring.
Carolina Hurricanes Era (2024)
On March 7, 2024, Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes while on injured reserve. He made his Carolina debut on March 12, 2024, against the New York Rangers and scored his first Hurricanes goal on March 17 against the Ottawa Senators. He finished with eight goals and 17 points in 25 regular-season games before adding four goals and nine points in 11 playoff games as Carolina was eliminated by the New York Rangers in six games.
Tampa Bay Lightning Era (2024–Present)
With his contract set to expire, Guentzel’s rights were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 30, 2024, in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025. That same day, he signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Lightning, beginning a new chapter of his NHL career. His current deal runs through the 2030–31 season at an average annual value of $9 million.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the ice, Guentzel is recognized for his high hockey IQ, dependable two-way play, and knack for producing in big moments. His chemistry alongside elite centers has been a hallmark of his career, and his finishing touch around the net has translated consistently from the regular season into the playoffs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include his 2017 playoff hat trick against Columbus, his four-goal playoff performance against Philadelphia in 2018, his 200th career point in 2019, and back-to-back 40-goal seasons in 2018–19 and 2021–22. His Stanley Cup triumph in 2017 remains the headline achievement of his career to date.
Jake Guentzel Career Wins
Jake Guentzel has collected an impressive list of individual and team accomplishments across the AHL, NHL, and international stage. His resume features a Stanley Cup championship, multiple 40-goal NHL seasons, All-Star selections, and a strong record in the USHL and NCAA.
NHL Highlights
Guentzel’s first NHL win came in his debut against the New York Rangers on November 21, 2016. He has since posted four 40-goal campaigns and been voted to the NHL All-Star Game. Most recently, he represented Team USA at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, recording three goals in three games as the Americans reached the final before falling 3–2 in overtime to Canada.
Other Wins and Performances
In the AHL, Guentzel was named to the 2017 All-Rookie Team after leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in playoff scoring. At the collegiate level, he helped Omaha reach the Frozen Four in 2015, and at the junior level, he earned USHL Rookie of the Year honors in 2013.
Jake Guentzel Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Hockey is a family tradition for the Guentzels. Father Mike played at the University of Minnesota and later served as associate head coach there, while brothers Ryan and Gabe also pursued competitive hockey careers at the collegiate and professional levels.
Personal Life
Jake Guentzel married his longtime girlfriend, Natalie Johnson, on July 30, 2021. The couple has one son.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Guentzel is in his first full campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning after being traded from Carolina and signing a long-term extension. He is expected to play a central role on Tampa Bay’s top offensive lines as the Lightning push to return to playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.
Internationally, Guentzel has already made an impact in 2025, representing Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off and finishing the tournament with three goals in three games before the Americans settled for silver following an overtime loss to Canada in the final.
With his contract running through 2031 and his offensive production showing no signs of slowing, Guentzel remains one of the NHL’s most reliable left wingers entering the 2025–26 season.